Meant to Be
by Paige242
Summary: As Lyla and Zac grow closer, Lyla begins to wonder if his transformation truly was an accident. Romance blooms and secrets are revealed. (Post-Season One, Zac/Lyla)
1. Natural Conversations

**Meant to Be**

Despite the fact that he was a former land-boy, Zac somehow understood Lyla's deep connection to the sea better than anyone ever had. As Lyla and Zac grow closer, Lyla begins to wonder if his transformation was truly an accident. Set a few months after season one.

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It was all so familiar now, Lyla mused as she let the garden gate snap closed behind her. The fence, the flowers, the thin rocky path—she had come here so many times and probably could have navigated it in her sleep by now.

She had never intended to stay on land this long, nor had she intended to spend this much time on the Blakely's beachside property—but somehow, without her even realizing it, it had all become part of her routine.

The other day, Nixie had joked that Lyla should just move in with Zac. _"You spend so much time there anyway,"_ her sarcastic friend had joked, _"maybe it's time to cut the charade and just start living together." _Lyla had rolled her eyes at the time, but part of her knew that Nixie had a point. She did spend a lot of time with Zac nowadays and the thought of being closer to him did appeal to her.

But she knew it would never happen. He was still pining after Evie and, one day, she would rejoin her pod. They were practically the definition of a hopeless case. She had long-ago vowed to enjoy his friendship, and nothing more.

With a sigh, Lyla tried to get Nixie's words out of her head. She found it hard not to get flustered around him on the best of days, and she didn't want to start acting like a giddy school girl before she even started talking to him.

She was far too stubborn to let that side of herself show.

Resolutely, she squared her shoulders and walked on.

Although the light was beginning to fade, she could make out Zac's muscular figure on the dock and she rounded the corner. As usual in recent months, he was alone—probably just enjoying the warmth of the remaining sunlight and the gentle sound of lapping waves. Like her, he loved listening to the sound of the water and they often sat in silence, simply marvelling at the wonder of the sea. Despite the fact that he was a former land-boy, Zac somehow understood Lyla's deep connection to the sea better than her mer-companions ever had. Nixie and Sirena certainly loved their ocean home, but they had never seemed to see it with the awe and reverence Lyla thought it deserved. But Zac did—she could see it in his eyes every time they neared the shore.

It was one of the things she loved most about him.

As she approached the dock, Lyla took a deep breath. She was determined, as always, to keep up her calm façade. She didn't want him to know how rapidly her heart beat whenever he was near, or how electric it felt whenever his skin brushed against hers.

"Zac."

At first, she wondered if he would be annoyed that she had disturbed his quiet time, but the wide grin on his face as he turned to face her quickly dispelled her fears.

"Lyla." He said, still smiling. "I thought I sensed you coming. You're later than usual."

The mermaid flashed him a sheepish smile as she sat down next to him on the dock. "Sorry." She replied, "I was at the café and David brought out the last of today's prawns for us to eat…I couldn't say no."

Zac laughed.

"Yes, it is difficult to say no to that." He agreed, running a hand through his short dark hair. "I guess I should have popped by tonight after all. It's hard to get as much seafood as I'd like at home. My mom would be suspicious if I insisted on an all-seafood diet so I have to keep eating what she makes—even though I don't enjoy most of it anymore."

She nodded, instantly understanding his predicament. Most of the human food she had tried during her time on land hand been bland and tasteless. Seafood was the only thing that appealed to merpeople, and Zac had mentioned that his tastes had changed since his transformation.

"And since I've been trying to avoid the café…" Zac trailed off, and Lyla suspected that his thoughts had drifted to his ex-girlfriend. Since they had split a month ago, Zac had hardly gone to the café—Evie was almost always there, tending to her shop. Cam was usually there too, which made matters even worse.

He could barely stand to face either of them at the moment so Zac had been spending most of his nights alone. Or with Lyla. And while she did feel bad that he had been betrayed by his best-friend and dumped by his girlfriend, Lyla had to admit that she had enjoyed having more time with him. The past few months had brought them closer together than ever.

"Anyway," Zac sighed, swinging his feet off the side of the dock, "On a happier note, I went for a swim earlier and came across a beautiful part of the reef that I haven't seen before. It was a bit deeper than I usually go in that area, and there was the most beautiful blue coral. It was really spectacular, I'll have to take you there." He paused, smiling as he recalled the sight. "And, even better, I found this."

The young man shuffled for a second as he reached into the pocked of his shorts and pulled something out. For a second, Lyla thought it was some sort of shark tooth but as he moved his outstretched hand closer to hers she could see that was, in fact, a perfectly formed pearl. Round, and white and glistening. It was rare to find one in such pristine shape.

"It's gorgeous." She said, admiring the item. "So perfect."

Zac grinned again.

"It's for you." He said as he reached for her hand and placed it in her palm. "It…it made me think if you. And I thought maybe you could put it in a necklace or something. Or, I dunno."

"Wow, thanks." She said, returning his smile. She could still feel a surge of warmth were his fingers had brushed hers. "I love it."

If Lyla didn't know better, she could have sworn that she saw the slightest blush on his tanned cheek. But she knew that was silly. He had been heartbroken when Evie had dumped him, and she knew that he still held out hope that they would somehow got back together. Personally, Lyla thought it was a lost cause—Evie had said that he had changed too much, that he wasn't the boy she had fallen for anymore. And she was right about that. Zac wasn't just a regular land boy anymore and he probably never would be again. If Evie couldn't handle that, then it was her loss.

Carefully, Lyla put the pearl into the pocket of her dress. She had meant what she said, she did love it and she couldn't wait to ask Sirena to incorporate it into some sort of jewelry creation.

For a long moment, the two friends stared out towards the darkening ocean, enjoying the gentle sound of the waves. The sea was calm tonight and Lyla loved the way the moonlight danced on its glassy surface.

"I'm tempted to go for another swim." Zac said, his eyes still fixed on the lapping water. "Although the logical part of my brain says I should probably study a bit more and then get some rest."

Lyla snorted. "Logic is overrated." She commented playfully. "I say, follow the call of the ocean."

"Yes, you would say that." Zac returned with an exaggerated eye roll. "_Such_ a bad influence."

"Psh, looks who's talking!" she retorted, "You're the one that convinced me to go for a three day swim last weekend without telling Rita or the others. Do you know how much flack they gave me for that?"

"Yeah, but you said it was worth it."

Lyla tried to scowl but her display of false anger failed miserably. One glimpse of the playful twinkle in Zac's eye was all it took to make her smile.

"Yes, yes. It was worth it." She admitted, throwing up her hands in mock defeat.

She sighed softly, her gaze catching the moonlit ocean once more. Last weekend had been the most fun she'd had in a long time—just the two of them and the open sea…she couldn't have asked for more. It had been so fun, so _natural_. When she had first met the troublesome boy, she never could have imagined that spending time with him—with a _merman_— would feel so right.

But, for some strange reason, it just did.

"You know," Lyla mused, turning back to face her friend, "You always seem happier when you're out on the ocean."

Zac raised an eyebrow.

"I mean," She continued, "You're relaxed, and you laugh more. And you seem…I don't know, more like _you_. Which is silly, I suppose, because none of this was meant to happen, and you're not supposed to be one of us, and yet…"

"I am happier out there." Zac cut in, his expression more serious than it had been before. Lyla hoped she hadn't upset him by saying that his current form of existence was an accident. She wasn't sure if she had crossed a line.

"You're right, it is sort of weird. And I've been thinking about it a lot." He paused. "I keep thinking that Evie probably had a point when she told me why we were breaking up. She said I wasn't the same person she used to know, that something deep inside of me had changed. It wasn't about the tail or the powers—it was about something more than that. And she's right. I don't feel like the same person anymore…but, unlike her, I don't see that as a bad thing."

Lyla cocked her head to the side, perplexed by his sudden reflections. "What do you mean?" She pressed.

"This is going to sound silly." Zac began, biting his lip nervously. "I've always had a good life, a happy childhood. But the more I reflect on it now, the more I feel like something was missing. It's hard to explain, but it always seemed as if something wasn't quite right. Like I wasn't complete. And now, since that night in the moon pool, I don't feel like that anymore. I lost so much—friends, hobbies, a normal life—but when I'm in the ocean, I finally feel like _me_."

He let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "I'm being silly, right?" He asked, his big brown eyes wide and earnest. "It was all just an accident, and I'm not supposed to be a merman. This isn't who I am meant to be."

Despite her better judgement, Lyla reached out and placed her hand on his. "I don't think you should dismiss those feelings so quickly." She said, her eyes locking with his. "Magic works in mysterious ways, and you are more connected to the sea than anyone one else I know. Even Nixie and Sirena."

She paused, wondering if she should share something else that had been nagging at the back of her mind for some time now.

"I didn't want to say anything until I did more research." She began hesitantly, "but that night, when Cam tried to steal the trident…" She could feel him tense at the thought. His hand gripped hers more tightly than before. "I've been doing more reading lately, and all the books say that being in the moon pool during the height of the full moon should have made you completely human again. But it didn't."

His brow furrowed. "The books must be wrong, then."

"Maybe." Lyla replied. "Or maybe you're some sort of exception to the rule. Maybe this _was _meant to be."

Zac shook his head, clearly unconvinced. "That makes no sense," he stated firmly, "I mean…it was all just a fluke. If I hadn't gone to Mako that day, if I hadn't gone down that path, I would still be normal."

The girl shrugged. She wasn't surprised by his reaction, but she knew that she wouldn't be satisfied until she did a bit more investigating. If Zac wasn't interested in participating, that was fine with her. Maybe he was right, but she couldn't ignore the doubt that had been growing inside of her lately.

Something just didn't add up.

But now wasn't the time to press it.

"Normal is overrated." She said playfully, hoping to lighten the mood. "And you know you look much better with a tail anyway."

Zac laughed before rolling his eyes once again. "Oh really?" He challenged, folding his arms across his muscular chest. "I happen to think that legs aren't that bad."

Lyla gave a mock look of disgust. "Nope, legs are gross." She replied.

A small smirk brushed across her face and, before Zac had time to detect her plan, she telekinetically splashed him with a flick of her hand. His legs were drenched and, seconds later, his sleek blue tail was revealed.

Lyla felt her heart beat even faster as she looked sheepishly over at her companion. Although she didn't think legs were _that _gross, she did think he looked more dashing with his tail. Her eyes travelled down his now bare chest and lingered on the spot where his skin turned seamlessly into scales. His tail was blue and muscular—similar to her own, and yet uniquely masculine. There was no denying that he made quite an impressive merman.

Her body felt as if it was on fire, and it took all of her impressive willpower not to buckle under his handsome gaze.

"Well, if that's how you want to play it…" Zac said before flicking a wave of water at her with his tail.

She sputtered in false indignation for a moment until her own golden tail appeared.

With a giggle, she slid off the dock and into the water, revelling at how soothing the salt water felt against her skin. She had told the others that she wouldn't be out late but, now that she was in the water, with_ him_, she knew that she couldn't keep her promise. "Race you to Mako?" She asked gleefully, looking up at Zac. "Unless you're too much of a land-boy to try it."

Never one to back down for a challenge, he launched himself into the water, disappearing beneath it for a moment before popping up to the surface, his face mere inches away from hers.

"I'm not a land-boy anymore." He replied impishly, splashing the water with his tail to emphasise his point. "Game on."

Lyla smiled.

No, he certainly wasn't a land boy anymore.

She couldn't help but wonder if he ever really had been…

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A/N- There will be more, and reviews will inspire me to write. Please let me know what you think!


	2. The Search Begins

"Lyla, what are you doing up so early?"

The young woman, who had been quite absorbed in the book she was perusing, jumped slightly in her seat. She looked up to see Rita standing in the door frame, looking perplexed.

It was no secret that Lyla was not an early riser. Nixie and Serina were almost always up an hour or two before her and it was not uncommon for one of the other girls to have to shake Lyla out of her slumber. So it was understandable that Rita was surprised to see her in her home office at seven in the morning with piles of old tomes spread out on the desk.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" The older mermaid asked, her eyes darting between Lyla's dishevelled hair and the piles of empty prawn containers that now littered the floor.

"I did. A bit." Lyla replied, rubbing her tired eyes at the mention of sleep.

She and Zac had stayed out swimming until two in the morning and, by the time she had returned to Rita's, it was nearly 3am. She had tried to sleep for a bit, but her conversation with Zac that evening kept floating through her restless mind. Lyla could not quash the feeling that something was not right—that there was something they still didn't know about Zac—and she was determined to find out what it was.

Then, and only then, would she be able to rest.

"I had the urge to do a bit of research, so I decided that sleep could wait." She explained, hoping that Rita wasn't too upset that she had helped herself to the books and made a bit of a mess. "I'll clean up when I'm done, I swear."

Rita chuckled. "It's not a big deal." She began with a soft smile. "I am not one to discourage a keen interest in research and learning."

Lyla gave a small sigh of relief. Although she missed her pod, Rita's warmth and kindness always made her feel at home.

"Is it anything I could help you with, by chance?" Her mentor continued, taking a few steps into the room to get a closer look at the books Lyla had selected.

"_The Mermaid Chronicle_, _Mer Families of the South Pacific_, _Oceanus Fabula…" _Rita muttered as she skimmed the titles of the nearest tomes. "This is not light reading, Lyla. I haven't even read all of these in their entirety."

The young mermaid sighed and leaned back in the plump desk chair. "Tell me about it." She said with a note of frustration in her voice. "I don't even really know exactly what I'm looking for, but I have to try."

Rita nodded sympathetically and her hand brushed across a copy _of Mermen in Fact and Fiction_."

"This doesn't happen to be about Zac, does it?" She asked, her eyebrow raised.

Lyla knew that there was no point lying. Rita was perceptive, and it was not a secret that Lyla and Zac had been spending an inordinate amount of time together during the past couple of months.

She felt her cheeks grow slightly warmer.

"Yes." She confessed. "We were talking last night, and he was going on about how he feels more complete now that he's a merman. He said it felt like something was missing before he changed. And I've been thinking a lot lately about how he should have become human again when he returned to the pool on the full moon. But he didn't, and I can't figure out why. I can't shake the feeling that there is something else going on here. Like maybe this was supposed to happen, or maybe he's not as human as we thought…"

Rita pursed her lips and looked thoughtfully out the office's small window. Lyla wondered if she should have shared so much—after all, some of that was Zac's personal business that he probably didn't want to share. But once she had started talking, she had found it hard to stop. If anyone could help, it was Rita. And the more she knew the better.

"I have wondered about that a bit myself." Rita began after several moments. "I do think there could be many explanations—as I have been trying to teach you girls, magic does not always work as we expect it to." She paused, "But it is all a bit odd, since there have been documented cases of land-people returning to normal when they re-entered to the pool during the full moon. I can't explain why Zac didn't."

"Exactly!" Lyla replied enthusiastically. "I've been looking through this book of prophecies," she continued, gesturing to the thick old book in front of her, "I know it's a long shot, but maybe Zac was destined to become a merman for some reason. Maybe he's meant to reunite the mer people or become some sort of ruler or something. Maybe I can prove to the pod that he's not a threat—they could come back, and he could stay a merman, and we—"

Realizing that she was babbling, and about to reveal her deepest darkest fantasies, Lyla cut herself off. She knew she was being a bit silly, and she blamed the annoyingly charming land-boy for making her usually logical brain go off on such girlish tangents.

She hated that he had such power over her, and she wished that she had a strong enough will to get over her fruitless infatuation. Sure, he was handsome and fun and thoughtful—but his heart was taken and, one day, they would probably end up living in different worlds. And even if he did stay the way he was, mermaids and mermen had not lived together in centuries.

There was little hope of a happily ever after.

"Don't get your hopes too high up, Lyla." Rita said gently as she said down in the armchair across from the younger woman. "I know what it's like to feel such love for someone—to want everything to work out. But sometimes, things are simply out of our control."

"I don't—"Lyla began to protest before deciding that it was futile. Rita had her figured out, as always. "Urgh, sometimes I wish I could just get him out of my head. I feel like something is wrong with me. But no matter how much I try, I just can't stop thinking about him—about us. I know I shouldn't get my hopes up about all of this, but it's so hard not to. I want to find a way to make everything okay."

The older mermaid nodded knowingly. "It's understandable, Lyla." She began sympathetically. "I've always sensed that there was something between the two of you." Despite herself, Lyla blushed. She was simply too tired to mask her true feelings now.

Deep down, she knew that she loved him.

In retrospect, she probably had from the beginning.

"Fighting it only makes it worse, you know," Rita continued gently, as if reading her thoughts. "Nowadays, mermaids aren't used to these sorts of feelings. But in ancient times, love between mermaids and mermen was common and, like humans, they often chose a mate. The war changed all of that, and now there is rarely contact between the two—but that doesn't mean that our ancient instincts have changed. At your age, it is perfectly natural to be attracted to a handsome young merman. You can't fight your heart, or your hormones."

Lyla knew that her cheeks were probably bright pink by now, and she avoided Rita's gaze by looking down at the floor.

"He's just a silly land-boy." She muttered unconvincingly as she stared at the dark wooden floor beams.

At some point during Rita's speech, her hand had made its way into the pocket of her dress. She could feel the smooth surface of the pearl Zac had given her and her stomach flipped uncomfortably as her mind fluttered back to the moment when he had tenderly handed her the small gift.

He was annoyingly sweet sometimes.

She heard Rita give a small chuckle as she stood up from her chair. "He may be a silly land boy," she began with a small smile, "but you might also be on to something with your theories." Rita paused, her eyes landing on a book called _Mer Families of the South Pacific_, "Perhaps it is worth looking into Zac's family a bit. It's unlikely, but maybe there is a connection we've missed."

Lyla nodded and finally managed to look back up to meet her mentor's gaze. "It can't hurt." She agreed, surveying the pile of books before her. She had a feeling that she would be at it awhile.

"Good luck. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

Rita looked as if she was about to leave the room, but hesitated before she reached the door. Taking a quick step to the left, she pulled a small blue book off one of the shelves before turning to hand it over to Lyla.

"When you get a chance, you might want to take a look at this one." Rita said as she passed the book across the desk. "Just in case."

Rita gave her a knowing smile and quickly left the room, leaving Lyla alone to look down at the small tome in her hand.

_Historical Mating Rituals of the Southern Merpeople_, it read in an elegant golden script.

The young mermaid felt a now-familiar blush creep across her cheeks once more. 

She had a feeling that life was about to get even more complicated.

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A/N- I hope that was enjoyable! Please review.


	3. A Perfect Moment

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and, after a short swim earlier in the day, both Zac and Lyla had decided to do a bit of lounging in Zac's room. Perhaps it was weird, but she always enjoyed the quiet moments they shared together—it was surprisingly comfortable just to be near him. They didn't need to be in constant conversation to appreciate each other's company.

As she lay sprawled out on Zac's bed, mindlessly fidgeting the with the pearl Serina had put onto a gold chain for her, the young mermaid reflected on how much she had changed during the past while. Before this whole adventure had begun, Lyla had been a bit of a loner. Unlike Serina and Nixie, she hadn't had many friends and had lost her mother at a young age. Although the pod had always cared for her, she barely remembered having a family and never sought to form close friendships. In her mind, caring about others just set you up for heartache and she had convinced herself that she didn't need anyone—that she was better, and stronger, on her own. But the closer she got to her friends, and Rita, and Zac, the more she had come to realize that she had been lying to herself for years. There was no doubt that she was tough—she _could_ get by on her own when she needed to. But that was never really what she had wanted.

A part of her still feared that she was setting herself up for loss and disappointment but, now that she had let people in, it was too hard to let the go.

Turning her head slightly, Lyla smiled as she caught sight of Zac. He was currently sitting on the couch, bouncing balls of water between the glasses on his coffee table. He was quite good at controlling his powers now, and he had come up with all sorts of amusing tricks to help refine his talents.

She watched for several moments, impressed that he was managing to keep multiple balls of water suspended and in constant motion at the same time—she had just mastered that trick herself. She could tell that he was challenging himself and watched as he added more and more elements to the juggling act.

Seven, eight, nine…PLOP.

His attempt to add a tenth water ball had failed, and the other nine came crashing down onto the surface of the table, soaking the old magazine and takeout boxes he had left there.

Zac jumped back, jerking his legs away before the water could brush them.

With an amused giggle, Lyla rolled over onto her stomach and rested her arms and chin on the back of the couch next to one of his muscular shoulders.

"Aww, tough luck, land-boy." She commented playfully, "It's a good thing that I'm here to clean up after you."

Lyla turned her attention to the puddles in front of her. With a wave of her hand, she drew the water together and gently lowered it into one of the glasses on the coffee table.

Zac scoffed, but she could tell from his lopsided grin that he wasn't actually annoyed. "Show off." He muttered, turning to face his companion.

She shrugged. "I can't help it if I'm amazing."

The young man laughed and shook his head in mock annoyance. "Keep telling yourself that."

After a slight pause, Zac stood up and launched himself over the back of the couch. He landed on the bed next to her and they both bounced as he flopped down on his stomach beside her.

Lyla felt something inside of her flutter, but she quickly tried to push it out of her mind. She had heard that humans considered beds to be intimate places and something about being this close to him on the soft mattress made her body react.

Thankfully, she was better at composing herself than most and she managed to draw a steady breath to calm her sudden nerves.

It was just Zac, and they were just friends. It was silly to get worked up about anything.

"I hardly saw you this week." Zac commented after a few more seconds of silence. "Was Rita making you work too hard?"

Lyla shook her head, wondering how much she should reveal about her research endeavours. It was true, she hadn't seen Zac on Friday or Saturday and she had spent most of her time in Rita's small office, looking through dusty old books for anything she could find that might help her make sense of Zac's situation.

She hadn't really found any answers—but she had discovered several more references to the fact that being in the moon pool during the full moon _should_ have made him human again. She was convinced that something more was going on. But, after nearly three days of reading, she had decided to give herself a much needed break that afternoon. Plus Rita had been a bit annoyed that morning when she couldn't find her copy of _Mer Spells and Rituals_ (which Lyla swore she hadn't touched), so it seemed like a good time to get out for a bit.

"No, Rita has been fine." Lyla began hesitantly. She wasn't sure if Zac would be annoyed if she revealed her ongoing suspicions. After all, when she had mentioned them the other day, he had dismissed her theories pretty quickly. "I just had the sudden urge to do a bit of studying. Nixie and Serina are starting to gain on me."

Zac snorted, knowing that his friend hated to be shown up. He seemed to buy her very believable explanation.

"What about you?" Lyla asked. "Anything interesting happen during the last few days?"

She heard him let out a sigh and she could tell almost instantly that his mood had darkened. She figured that it had something to do with either Evie or Cam and, as he began to speak, her suspicions were confirmed.

"I went to the café for a bit last night." Zac started, his eyes fixed firmly on the blue quilt beneath him. "Which was stupid of me, I suppose. But I missed it and I was bored so I decided to pop in." He paused, his eyes darkening as he recalled the memory. "Cam was there, being his usual cocky, smug self."

Lyla sighed and placed a sympathetic hand on top of his. She knew that Cam's betrayal still hit him hard—after all, the two had been best friends for almost fifteen years, and Cam's power hungry grab for the trident and attempt to turn himself into a merman had shocked Zac. He'd thought that his friend was on his side, and he had been one of the few people he had trusted. But, as it turned out, Cam was not the person they had all thought he was.

"Did he try to do anything?" Lyla asked, concerned. None of them knew if Cam would try anything else to hurt or expose them. A simple splash of water was all it would take to give Cam power over them.

"No, not really." Zac replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I didn't even talk to him. But he kept looking over at my table with this arrogant glint in his eye…maybe I'm worrying too much, but I sort of feel like he is up to something."

"That's not paranoid, it's understandable. He betrayed us all, and he knows what we are. We have to be on high alert."

The young man nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right." He paused again, his mind recalling the night before. "It was weird—at one point he looked over at me and patted something in his backpack, as if he wanted me to know that he was on to something. I don't know what was in there. I could tell that it was rectangular, but that could have just been one of his school books. And maybe he was just trying to freak me out…he probably isn't up to anything, but wants to make my life miserable anyway. " He let out a frustrated groan as he flipped over onto his back. "God, I never thought our friendship would turn into this."

Lyla gave another sympathetic nod. "I guess some people aren't what we think they are." She said softly, bushing a stay lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

Zac smiled sadly as he started up towards the ceiling. "I suppose."

After another moment, he tilted his head to meet her eyes. "But on the bright side, sometimes people turn out to be far more amazing than we initially think."

Despite herself, Lyla let a small grin creep across her lips. There was no doubt in her mind that he was talking about her and, although she knew that they had overcome the old tension between them, it was nice to hear him say what he thought of her now.

It went both ways, really. She'd hated the mysterious land-boy when she had first laid eyes on him. She thought that he was a foolish boy who didn't deserve his powers and she feared that his carelessness would expose them. Her initial mission had been to turn him human again and get back to the pod- but before she knew it, she had come to see him as much more than a simple intruder. She had discovered a wonderful, caring person—a naturally gifted and courageous merman.

And for her, that discovery had made this entire mess worth it.

"Lyla," The sound of Zac's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked over to see his wide brown eyes fixated on her and the annoying fluttering in her stomach instantly returned. "Ever since that day that I hurt you with the trident…" He paused, biting his lip. He suddenly seemed more nervous than she had seen him in a long while, but she tried not to let her imagination get the best of her. "I…I've wanted…"

The young man sighed, clearly frustrated that he couldn't quite find the words he was searching for. She decided not to let him struggle any longer.

"It's okay, Zac," she cut in softly, rolling onto her back beside him. "You don't need to apologize anymore. The important thing is that you saved me. I'm grateful for that, and I'm grateful to have you in my life."

For a second, he looked dazed but a smile then spread across his handsome face. Wordlessly, he reached out and wrapped and arm around her, drawing her towards him until she was pressed against the side of his strong torso. She placed a hand on his chest, revelling in the feeling of his beating heart and the gentle rise and fall of his breaths.

"I'm grateful to have you in my life too." Zac said quietly, tilting his chin to rest against the top of her golden hair.

For a moment, everything was perfect.

But perfect moments rarely last…

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A/N- I hope people enjoyed that. I know it's not an action packed story, but hopefully an exploration of Zac and Lyla's growing relationship has some appeal. Things will heat up soon. What did Zac mean to tell her at the end? Is Cam up to something? Will Lyla's research lead to any answers about Zac?

Stay tuned and leave me a review to tell me what you think!


	4. Glimpses of the Past

"Come on Lyla, put that away!" Zac protested, making a futile grab for the photo album that the young mermaid was currently holding. "Those are embarrassing!"

She simply laughed, pulling the item further away from his grasp.

Zac's parents' were out (his dad was at a medical conference in Wellington, and his mother was hosting a reception at her gallery) so the two friends were inside the main house that evening. Lyla had brought a few lobsters from the café and, after a filling dinner, she had asked Zac for a tour of the house.

She'd been inside a few times before, but the two friends spent far more time in Zac's cabin. She was genuinely curious to see the rest of the house (the idea of land houses was still fairly new to her, and Rita's was the only one was she was familiar with), but there was a second reason for her request as well. Although she knew it was a long shot, she had been thinking about Rita's advice lately- the older mermaid had suggested that see look into Zac's family history a little bit, to see if that could lead to any answers about his strange encounter with the moon pool.

Even though she felt a bit guilty, she still hadn't told him that that she had been doing research about him. She planned to eventually, of course, but since her search had been unsuccessful so far, Lyla decided that it wasn't a conversation that she needed to have right now.

She figured, however, that a little subtle investigating couldn't hurt.

So far she hadn't come across anything to help her investigation, but she _had_ found a few amusing things. Including Zac's childhood teddy bear and the photo album she was currently trying to keep out of his grasp.

"Aww, look, you dumped a bowl of spaghetti on your head." She said playfully, holding up a page of the album for him to see. Zac was about a year old in the picture, and was grinning mischievously as the red gooey mess ran down his head.

"You were so cute!"

Zac rolled his eyes. "So embarrassing!" He retorted, reaching out to grab it again.

Thankfully, she was too quick for him, and darted behind the couch before he could reach it.

"Come on, Zac," she pleaded, hoping that he wouldn't be able to resist her pout, "Mermaids don't have photographs—I just want to see them. They're so cool."

Throwing up his hands in defeat, Zac sighed. "Fine, fine." He muttered. "But no more squeeing over the embarrassing ones."

She nodded her head in silent agreement before plopping herself down onto the living room couch. A moment later he joined her, looking down at the page of pictures with mild annoyance. "Let's get this over with."

Pleased by her victory, but knowing better than to rub it in, Lyla simply flipped to the next page. There was no doubt that he had been an adorable child, but she resisted the temptation to comment on that again. It was easier just to keep her word.

"There are a lot of you swimming." She commented, looking down at a picture of two year old Zac being held in the pool by his dad. The boy seemed thrilled to be there, and the look on his dad's face indicated that the tot had recently splashed him in the midst of his enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I always loved the water." Zac conceded with a faint smile.

For a second, the image of herself and Zac swimming with a similarly adorable dark-haired merboy flickered through her head—she felt her cheeks began to heat up, and did her best to quash the thought as quickly as possible. Reading _The Breeding Habits of the Southern Merpeople_ last night had probably been a mistake…

It had put all sorts of scandalous ideas in her head.

Drawing a breath, she flipped to the next page of pictures. There were several new people in these images and, from the resemblance to Zac and his father, she guessed that they were relatives.

Before she had a chance to ask, Zac confirmed her suspicions.

"Those are my dad's parents." He said, his fingers brushing gently against the photograph. She could hear a hint of sadness in his voice. "My granddad was from Malaysia, and my grandmother was from the Philippines." He paused. "Granddad was the one who taught me how to fish, you know. He'd always catch the tastiest ones, and she'd fry them up for us when we got back. But they both passed away a couple of years ago."

Lyla nodded, understanding how much such a loss could hurt. "I'm sorry." She said softly, brushing her hand across his.

"That's life, I suppose." He replied, trying not to let his memories get the better of him.

A moment later, he flipped the page.

"Who are they?" Lyla asked, looking down at the images of more unfamiliar people. They were mostly women this time, and she recognized Zac's mother in a couple of them.

"That's my mum and her sisters," He began, pointing at one of the pictures. "And that's my grandma, she died when I was a kid."

The young mermaid gave him another sympathetic smile.

"And that," he continued, his eyes drifting to the final image on the page, "is my mom with her mother and grandmother when she was younger."

Lyla looked down at the last picture—this one was different than the others. It seemed much older, and didn't have any colours in it. Judging from the age of Zac's mom, it must have been at least thirty five years old.

She examined it for a moment, observing the resemblance between Zac and the younger version of his mum and smiling at the outdated clothes that they were all wearing.

But, as her eye caught landed on Zac's great grandmother, all other thoughts fell to the wayside.

At first glance, there was nothing distinct about the woman—she looked like an elderly lady with curly white hair and a simple frock. But Lyla could not help but notice the perfectly formed shell that she was wearing on a string around her neck. It was pure white, and had a small dark stone placed in the centre.

She'd seen necklaces like that before. But never on a human…

Her heart instantly began to beat faster.

"Zac," she began, trying to mask her excitement, "did you ever meet your great grandmother?"

The boy shook his head. "Nope," he replied. "She died before I was born."

Lyla's face fell, but she wasn't about to give up. This might be the lead she had been searching for. "Do you know much about her?" She pressed.

Zac raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by her sudden interest. "Not really," he began slowly. "I mean, mum says that people used to find her a bit kooky. She lived in a small cottage by the coast and refused to use any sort of electricity or modern technology. Which is pretty weird, I guess."

Lyla pursed her lips, her mind racing as she tired, in vain, to make sense of everything. Perhaps she was getting ahead of herself— after all, Zac's great grandmother could have found that necklace on the beach. Even if it was a traditional mermaid adornment, it didn't mean the old woman had had any real connection to it.

But it was still too much of a coincidence to ignore. She needed to know more.

"Does your mother have anything else of hers?" She asked, hoping that she didn't sound too overly eager. "I mean, that necklace she's wearing in the picture is lovely, I'd love to see it."

There was a brief pause before Zac stood up from the couch, taking the photo album out of her lap and snapping it shut. She could tell by the look on his face that she didn't have him fooled.

He knew her too well, and he knew that something was up.

"Okay, what is this really about?" the young man asked, looking down at his companion expectantly. It was clear that he was a bit annoyed with her games. "I've had enough of secrets and lies during the past few months—please, Lyla, don't keep things from me."

As her blue eyes met his brown, she knew that she wouldn't be able to deny him the truth. Back when they had first met, she would have kept on lying—she would have made up a silly explanation to keep the land-boy as far out of the loop as possible.

But things were different now. She cared about him, she trusted him, and she couldn't stand the thought of pushing him away.

"Ever since our conversation a few weeks ago, when you told me that being a merman felt natural, I've been doing a bit of research." She confessed, hoping that he wouldn't be upset that she had been doing some investigating behind his back. "We both know that you should have become human again when you returned to the moon pool, and the fact that you didn't means that there is more to this story than we know."

Zac sighed, and it was apparent that his frustration had not ceased.

"Lyla, come on, you said yourself that magic doesn't always work the way we expect it to. It's probably nothing."

"Well, maybe it isn't." Lyla replied, sounding a bit more terse than she had intended. "Maybe there is something special about you." She continued, her eyes drifting to the photo album in his arms. "Or your family."

"What, so you think my mom is a mermaid now?" He retorted with a short, dismissive laugh. "That's insane, Lyla. You've seen her get wet—she doesn't have a tail! She doesn't know anything about any of this! I know you want there to be some reason for what happened—I understand that. You were left by your pod, and you probably think that if there is some great, epic explanation for why I became a merman, it might help bring them back." He paused, drawing a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but it was all just an accident. I may love the ocean, but I'm just a regular old boring human. If you want to research something, find a way to change me back. That's the only way to set things right."

"No! That's not the answer!" Before she knew what she was doing, Lyla had jumped up from the couch. She was surprised by her sudden outburst—but the thought of turning Zac back into a normal human stirred a frantic reaction inside of her. She didn't want that. Ever. And she knew that, deep down, it wasn't what he wanted either.

He wasn't liked the rest of the land-dwellers. She was sure of it.

"Zac, please." She begged, reaching out to grab his forearm before he could walk away. "I don't care if you think I'm crazy…but I think that you know that I'm onto something. You've adjusted to everything that's happened to you so well. Too well. Something else might be going on here."

He said nothing but, thankfully, he didn't pull away either.

"That necklace that your great grandmother was wearing in the picture—that's a mermaid necklace, usually only worn by members of the high council." She saw his eyes widen slightly and she knew that she was getting through. "Maybe you're right, and it is all just a coincidence. But I think we need to know more."

There was a long pause before Zac finally spoke.

"Fine." He huffed, placing the album down on a nearby table. "For the record, I _do_ think you're crazy…but I think we have a few old family heirlooms in the attic. We can take a look if you want."

Lyla grinned.

"But if we don't find anything, which we won't, I want you to promise me that you'll drop this whole thing."

She raised one hand and put the other on her chest. "Mermaid's honour."

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A/N On a roll today. If you liked it and want more, please review!


	5. Discoveries

The light was beginning to dip below the horizon as Zac and Lyla made their way into his parents' attic. At first, all of the boxes and artefacts looked somewhat eerie and imposing— but as Zac finally located the light switch, a comforting glow spread across the room.

There were so many human items up there that Lyla had not encountered before. Her eyes darted around, and she was briefly distracted from the task at hand. Old toys, a child's highchair, a dusty piano…she wished that she had time to explore them all.

Taking a step to left, she spent a moment examining a glittering white dress which hung by the small window. It was one of the most beautiful items of clothing that she had ever seen, and she could not resist the urge to take it off its hook and hold it up in front of her. She twirled around to take a look at herself in the full length mirror which stood near the entrance to the attic. She loved the way the white sequins glittered in the faint light— for a second, she felt like royalty.

The sound of Zac's chuckle broke her out of her trance, and she glanced over to see him watching her antics.

"Sorry, I should have asked before I touched—"

"No no, it's okay." Zac reassured her, still smiling. "That was my mum's wedding dress." He said, an oddly wistful look in his eyes. "You look…beautiful."

Turning around quickly before he could see her blush, Lyla hung the item back on its hook. Rita had mentioned weddings before, but she couldn't quite remember what they were. She knew that it was something humans did when they were in love and, apparently, she now knew that they involved white dresses.

Maybe Zac could teach her more about it someday…

Shaking her head to regain her composure, Lyla turned back around to face her companion. She knew there were more important things to deal with, and she chided herself for her silly dalliance.

"Right," she began, clasping her hands together. "So where do you think your great grandmother's stuff might be?"

She knew that she was lucky that Zac had allowed her to investigate, even though he thought she had gone off the deep end. She didn't want to waste her chance. If his ancestor had some connection to the mer world, she was determined to find out what it was.

"I'm not too sure," Zac began, glancing around the cluttered room. "I think I came across a chest of old pictures and jewellery one day when I was a kid. That might have been hers.

Moving across the room, Zac started moving some of the boxes near the window. "Here, put these somewhere." He said, passing a few of the items to Lyla.

They worked quietly for several minutes. Occasionally Zac would let out a frustrated grunt, or Lyla would gasp and squee at some of the unfamiliar objects he passed her way.

It wasn't bad work, but Lyla would be lying if she said that she wasn't anxious to find what they had come for. She couldn't explain it, but something just felt right. She had a feeling that they were getting closer.

Closer to something big.

And Zac's sudden "Aha!" seemed to confirm her suspicion.

Lyla could barely contain her excitement as the young man dragged a heavy bronze chest out from under a pile of old clothing.

It was dusty and dented—not the most beautiful item in the room, but something about it made it seem significant. It was about three feet wide and two feet deep and, Lyla noticed as she examined it further, there was a small seahorse engraved on the lid.

She knew this was it.

After brushing off some of the dust, Zac knelt down in front of it and jiggled the clasp. Thankfully, the old lock didn't put up much resistance and he managed to pull it off with ease. The two friends exchanged a quick glance, and Lyla could tell that Zac was feeling less sure of himself than he had been before. He ran his fingers across the engraved seahorse briefly before he nodded and pushed open the chest.

Lyla wasn't sure what she expected to find, but her heart sank slightly as she caught sight of the seemingly mundane objects inside. There was no sign of anything magical.

Not on the surface, anyway.

"Alright, I guess this is it." Zac muttered, glancing down at an old photograph of the woman they had seen in the album downstairs.

He started handing items to Lyla, his eyes examining each before he passed them on.

There were a few more pictures, a feathered hat, a beaded purse. A baby blanket and a few dresses that seemed to be handmade.

"This doesn't look to promising." Zac noted with a shaky laugh. Someone else might have believed his bravado, but Lyla could tell that he was still nervous…that he thought she might be onto something after all.

"Just keep looking." She replied eagerly. "We don't know anything yet."

With a sigh, he continued to rummage, muttering something about stubborn mermaids as he went.

Several moments passed, and Lyla felt her nerves bubbling inside of her. There had to be more in there, she thought wilfully. Just being next to the strange chest made her feel odd…there had to be more to it than old hats and photographs.

Just as she was about to ask Zac if she could take a look, her friend let out a slight gasp and quickly pulled his arm out of the box.

Her eyes widened. "What? What is it?" She asked, moving closer to his side for a better look.

As she peered over the side, Zac pointed down towards a hand-sized clam shell at the bottom of the chest. Lyla brought a hand to her mouth.

Most people probably wouldn't have given such an item a second glance—on the surface it appeared to be a regular clam shell, like one that anybody could pick up on the beach.

But the way that it was perfectly polished, and the delicate silver clasp that held it shut told them that it was something more. They had seen a shell like this before.

It was exactly like the one that Rita kept their moon rings in.

"It can't be…" Zac whispered, shooting a confused look at Lyla.

She felt a bit guilty for putting him in this predicament and she could only imagine what was running though his head right now. It seemed increasingly likely that his mother's family did have some sort of connection to the mer-world, and this discovery posed even more questions than it answered.

Before she could think to warn him, Zac reached down and took the clam shell of the case. He fidgeted with the clasp for a second but was unable to open the small item.

"I can't…"

He began to speak, but a sudden flash of light cut him off before he could complete his sentence.

The shell emitted a bright red light that filled the room for a second. Zac yelped in surprise, dropping the item and letting it clatter to the ground.

"Holy crap, it shocked me!" He exclaimed, cradling his now injured hand. "What the hell was that?"

Lyla gave him a sympathetic smile. "I thought that might happen," she winced. "Sorry. I should have warned you that moon ring cases are often enchanted to keep mermen out."

Zac scowled. "Yeah, but that one belonged to my great grandmother. Probably. I should be able to open it, shouldn't I?"

The girls shook her head. "It may have belonged to your family, but you're still a merman," she explained. "Mer_men_ can't touch them. Period."

Zac threw up his hands, clearly annoyed. "Fine," he retorted, "I suppose you're the only one that can open it, then."

"You suppose right." She said with a smile. She reached across the floor to where the case had fallen and gingerly picked it up. There was no flash of red light this time, and she gave a slight sigh of relief as she confirmed that no other enchantments had been placed on the object.

She looked up, locking eyes with Zac before she continued. "Ready?" She asked, wanting to make sure that he was okay to continue. This was probably a lot for him to take in, but the determined look in his eyes told her that he needed to know more.

"Ready." He confirmed.

Gently, Lyla flicked open the latch and opened the shell.

For a second, a blinding white light flashed across the attic. As she blinked rapidly to clear her vision, she heard the sound of Zac moving to her side.

He drew a shaky breath as he looked down a the open shell—and the perfectly preserved blue moon ring that lay inside.

"Woah." The boy muttered, his shock evident. "I…I guess you were on to something."

Before Lyla could reply, however, the sound of a third (and unexpected) voice caused both friends to jump.

"Zac! What is going on up here?"

They turned to see Zac's mother standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.

_It was going to be a long night…_

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A/N A bit of a cliff hanger there- tell me what you thought and if you'd like more!


	6. Family Stories

There was no denying it—this was quickly turning into one of the most uncomfortable evenings that Lyla had ever experienced.

When they had turned to see Zac's mum standing at the attic door, it had been apparent to both of them that she had seen too much. The magical flash of light, and the fact that they had been rummaging through her grandmother's chest, required some sort of explanation.

At first, Lyla had wondered if the older woman knew exactly what was going on—perhaps she was fully aware of whatever her grandmother was hiding and, for all they knew, she may have known about the mer world. After all, the discovery of a moon ring was a pretty strong indication that her family was tied to the sea in some way.

It had quickly become apparent, however, that this was not the case. Zac had jumped up to show his mother the ring, his face clouded with both fear and shock.

The woman had furrowed her brow in confusion, asking why he was showing her a piece of jewelry ("_It looks like the one you gave Evie last fall_," she'd remarked) and what had caused the strange flash of light.

If it had been up to Lyla, she would have done her best to come up with some sort of cover story. It didn't seem Zac's mother knew much about moon rings or mermaids, and perhaps she would have accepted some other explanation.

Zac, however, had decided to take a different approach.

Lyla couldn't blame him, really. She knew it had been hard for him to hide his changes from his family for this long, and the surprising discovery in the attic made him want to find out everything he could. And even if she didn't have all the answers, maybe his mum at least knew something that could help.

So, after leading her down to the dining room so that she could take a seat before he dropped his bombshell, he had told her.

He told her about the moon pool.

…he told her what he had become.

All things considered, the woman had taken it fairly well. She had listened quietly and calmly and, while there had been a few moments of shock and emotion, she hadn't run screaming from the room. Lyla was grateful for that—she was certain that Zac would have been heartbroken if his mother had been unable to handle the big revelation.

Feeling as if she was imposing on a family moment, the young mermaid had tried to back out of the room before the conversation began, but the pleading look in Zac's eyes had forced her to stay. As awkward as the entire situation was, he didn't want her to leave him—and she knew that she couldn't go when he needed her most.

So she had stood silently in the corner, feeling like a terrible third wheel as she watched the exchange between mother and son.

"So…every time you get wet, you…" It was easy to hear the emotion in Mrs. Blakely's voice and Zac squirmed uncomfortably under her surprised gaze.

"Get a tail, yes." Zac replied, his cheeks flushing bright red.

It was clear that he was mortified by the entire situation, but Lyla hoped that letting his mother know the truth would ease some of his stress in the long run. He just had to get through these first terrible few hours. He would probably be grateful that he could be open and honest from then on.

"Even rain water? Or a split drink or something small like that?" She pressed.

The young man nodded. "Yeah, anything, no matter how small. I have to be pretty careful."

The woman drew a shaky breath and placed a comforting hand on her sons arm. Lyla could see the pity in her eyes, and she hoped that Zac didn't take it the wrong way.

"That explains so much. I should have known…" She trailed off before she could finish her thought. "My poor boy," she muttered, more to herself than to anyone else in the room.

Zac flinched.

"It's not all bad," He began, trying to keep his tone light. He clearly wanted to reassure his mother, and was not enjoying her sympathy. "Swimming in the open ocean is amazing. Feeling at one with the sea is the most incredible thing—it's hard to put into words."

Thankfully, his mother returned his smile. "You always did love the ocean," she commented, giving his arm a comforting pat.

"Yeah," Zac agreed, some of his tension visibly easing. "About that…" he paused for a moment, his eyes locking with Lyla's before he continued. "I…we…have sort of been wondering why I feel so at ease in the water, and why it didn't take me long to adjust to…things."

"We?" Following Zac's gaze, Mrs. Blakely turned he head quickly, her eyes finally resting on Lyla. "Oh goodness!" She exclaimed, flustered. "With everything going on, I nearly forgot you were here, dear." The woman said apologetically. "Come and sit."

Hesitantly, Lyla joined them at the table. She wasn't offended that Mrs. Blakely had forgotten about her—it was understandable, in the cirmstances. The woman had just found out that her son was a merman, and that was probably the only thing on her mind.

Lyla still felt rather uncomfortable for intruding and would have done anything to be invisible at the moment. But she knew that she was already in too deep. Mrs. Blakely knew she was somehow involved in all of this, and Zac needed her support.

"Thanks, Mrs. Blakely." She said with a small smile.

"Please, call me Caroline," the older woman replied warmly. "I'd noticed that you and Zac have been spending a lot of time together lately, but I never would have guessed that all of this was going on." She paused for a second, her eyes drifting to the string of shells woven into Lyla's hair. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you get wrapped up in all of this?"

Lyla glanced over at Zac. He still looked dazed and nervous, but there was a hint of relief on his face as well. She jumped slightly as she felt his hand intertwine with hers underneath the table. He squeezed it for a second, as if to thank her for staying at his side.

Suddenly, Lyla knew what she had to do.

"I was there when Zac fell into the moon pool that night." Lyla began. She could see the realization dawning on Mrs. Blakely's face. "I'm a mermaid…and I've been helping Zac adjust to his new life."

Her heart rate had increased as she spoke—the old Lyla never would have been so forthcoming with a land woman, and stating the truth was still a scary thing to do. She knew it was necessary, though. For Zac. In recent months, she had come to the realization that some things were more important than her self-preservation. He needed his mother to hear the truth. All of it.

Mrs. Blakely nodded calmly and a knowing smile crossed her face as she glanced between her son and his companion.

"Right," Zac continued, getting back to his earlier train of thought. "When I re-entered the moon pool a few months ago during the full moon, I should have become completely human again. But it didn't work."

Lyla could see Mrs. Blakely's brow furrow and, for the first time since the conversation began, she started to suspect that the woman might know something after all.

"No one knows why," Zac continued, "But Lyla and I decided to see if we could find an explanation. Tonight…" He paused, looking nervously over at his mother. "Tonight we found a picture of your grandmother—she was wearing a mermaid necklace that Lyla recognized. So we went upstairs to see if we could find anything else in her old chest. And we found this ring."

Letting go of Lyla's hand, Zac pulled the item out of his pocket and placed it on the table in front of them.

"That's a moon ring." Lyla explained, seeing the confusion on Mrs. Blakely's face. "It's used to channel mermaid magic. Every mermaid has one."

The older woman started down at the ring for a long while, her brow furrowed again as if trying to recall long-distant memories.

"It can't be…" she said softly after a long pause. "She can't be right…"

"Who?" Zac pressed, breaking his mother out of her sudden trance. "Who can't be right?"

Mrs. Blakely shook her head. It was clear that she was in a state of disbelief as she began to fit the pieces together.

Yes, Lyla thought, she definitely knew something.

"Mum, please. I have to know."

Finally, Mrs. Blakely nodded.

"My Grandmother." She began, her breathing more rapid than it had been before. "As I've told you before, she was a very strange woman. She kept to herself most of the time, and her daughters and granddaughters were the only ones she ever allowed to visit. Most people in town thought she was insane or, at the very least, an antisocial hermit. I always enjoyed visiting her, though." Mrs. Blakely continued. "She always had salt water taffy for us, and she told the most fantastic stories. She had so many stories…but the mermaid ones were always her favourite. I never heard any of them anywhere else, but I always figured that she just had a vivid imagination."

Lyla and Zac exchanged a look. It was becoming more and more apparent that his great grandmother had known something.

Something important.

"Her favourite story was one about forbidden love—I don't remember all of it now, but I know it was about a mermaid and a merman who were not supposed to be together." Mrs. Blakely said, looking back towards the two other figures in the room. "In that story the mermaid was banished to the land to live as a human. But, the mermaid council that expelled her didn't know that the banished mermaid was carrying a child—so even though she was never reunited with her sweetheart, their child brought happiness to her life."

The woman paused as she attempted to process the implications of her memories.

There was no doubt that they were all thinking the same thing—maybe these stories weren't just stories after all.

Although it probably wasn't her place to cut in, Lyla couldn't resist. "Did you ever meet your grandfather?" Lyla asked. "Is it possible that she was the mermaid in the story?"

"No, I knew my grandfather." Mrs. Blakely replied. For a second, Lyla's hopes sunk. "But my grandmother never met her own father. Her mother raised her alone. In a small cabin by the sea."

Zac's eyes grew wide. "You don't think…"

Mrs. Blakely shook her head. "I never took any of it seriously." She admitted. "I thought she was a bit odd, but I had no reason to suspect that she was trying to tell us something." The woman drew a shaky breath before she continued. "She often talked about the sea," She recalled. "Especially during her final few months. We all thought it was just the effects of old age, that she had fallen into her own fantasies. But now…"

She picked up the moon ring, examining the rare stone for a moment as she struggled to recall more.

"The last time I saw her, just before she died, I was eight months pregnant with you." She said, nodding towards Zac. "When I got to the nursing home, she wasn't that lucid. But I spoke to her away way. At first, nothing usual happened, but when I told her I was having a boy, she sat bolt upright." Mrs. Blakely placed her hand on Zac's forearm once more. "I never told you any of this, because I thought it was just the delusions of a woman who was inches from death…but she said some very strange things that day. Things that almost make sense now."

"What?" Zac asked quietly, a hint of worry in his voice. "What happened?"

"I remember it so clearly now." Mrs. Blakely replied with slight hesitation, "She grabbed my arm and said 'Keep him out of the sea. He's going to change one day, and they will take him.' I'll never forget the look for fear on her face that night…I was pretty freaked out, but I managed to ask her who she was talking about. I asked her who was going to take my boy."

"What did she say?" Zac asked, his hand reaching out to grasp Lyla's once more. "Who did she say was coming for me?"

"_The mermen." _Mrs. Blakely replied.

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A/N- let me know what you think :) Thanks to those who have reviewed to far- especially IvyLatimer24, Periwinkle Starfish and fictionlover94! It is great to get feedback and I am glad you are enjoying it!


	7. Late Night Thoughts

It was nearly three in the morning, but Zac and Lyla still hadn't managed to get any sleep.

After their long talk with Mrs. Blakely that evening they had both been too wound up to contemplate a decent bedtime. So while his mum had gone to bed a couple of hours ago (understandably exhausted after that evening's big revelations), the two friends had remained in the Blakely's living room, trying to process what they had been told.

There were certainly a lot of revelations to grapple with and, although she was pleased that her suspicions had been validated, Lyla now had even more questions than before.

There were still many details that needed to be filled in but it seemed apparent that some of Zac's ancestors had come from the sea. It was plausible that the "story" that Zac's mother had recalled about the exiled mermaid and her unborn probably contained at least some truth. Lyla knew that banishment was a common punishment for major transgressions in the mermaid world—the high council could even remove someone's ability to transform in extreme circumstances (thankfully, this had not been Rita's fate). It was possible that Zac's great-great grandmother had been banished in such a cruel way.

Lyla shuddered to think about how terrible it must have been for the poor woman—as she was well aware, having to leave one's pod was bad enough. But the thought of never returning to the sea in your true mermaid form was almost unbearable. Sure, Lyla had come to enjoy her time on land more than she expected, but she wasn't sure what she would do if she lost her tail forever.

Trying to push the thought from her mind, she tilted her head towards Zac. He was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, deep in thought as he fidgeted with the moon ring they had found in the attic.

There was no doubt that this had been quite the night for him. Finding about his family's past had shaken him and she was sure that he was struggling to come to terms with it all.

She could only imagine what he was going through.

"How are you feeling?" Lyla asked quietly, breaking her friend out of his trance.

Zac placed the moon ring down and turned towards her with a tired sigh. "As good as can be expected, I guess." He began, trying to muster a smile.

There was a brief pause.

"I'm still having trouble believing it," he continued. "It seems crazy that I had no idea, I feel like I should have known…but, I suppose, it wasn't really my fault. My mom didn't even know that it was all real, and her mother probably didn't either."

Lyla nodded in agreement. It was pretty clear that this family secret had not been passed down through the generations and, having been raised as a regular land dweller, it was not surprising that his mother had thought her grandmother's stories were purely fictional. Most people would have.

"There are still a lot of things that don't make sense." Zac continued, running a hand through his dark hair. "If my great-great grandmother was turned into a human and banished from the mer world, why did her daughter think that I would change? Why would she tell my mother that the 'mermen would take me'? My mother clearly never became a mermaid, and neither did her mother, or her mother's mother…so if that was the case, then why did she tell my mum that would I transform? They all married human men and, even if I do have a bit of mermaid blood, I'm still mostly human."

Lyla bit her lip and looked off into the distance as she contemplated Zac's words. He raised some good points, and she had been wondering many of the same things herself since his mother had shared what she knew about her unique lineage.

Apparently, no one in his family had been able to transform since the initial banishment and, despite his great grandmother's warnings, Zac had not become a merman until he fell in the moon pool…which, frankly, would transform any human that fell in, mer blood or not.

It was possible that everything had been a coincidence after all, but a nagging feeling in the back of Lyla's mind told her that it wasn't that simple.

Suddenly, a thought popped into her head.

"You said that your mother has two sisters, right?" She asked, looking back towards Zac.

He furrowed his brow, clearly confused about the seemingly irrelevant question.

"Yes." He replied quizzically. "So?"

"And those sisters, do they have any kids?"

"Sure," the young man began, "My aunt Polly had two daughters, Carmen and Jen. And my Aunt Miranda has Susan."

Lyla felt a bolt of excitement run down her spine and she eagerly pressed on.

"And your grandmother—did she have any brothers or sisters?" She inquired.

Zac let out a confused scoff—for the umpteenth time that week, he was looking at her as if she was off her rocker. "Yes…" he began again. "One sister, my great aunt Katrina. She didn't have any kids, though."

"Yes!" Lyla exclaimed excitedly, bouncing to the edge of the couch and leaning towards her friend. She knew that she probably had a manic glint in her eyes, but she didn't care. There was no supressing her excitement when she thought she was onto something.

"Yes what?" Zac asked, still confused.

Lyla knew that it was time to clarify.

"Don't you see?" She began keenly. "They were all girls."

Zac's trepidation did not clear and Lyla continued.

"Everyone else in your mother's family since the banishment has been _female_. And none of them ever became mermaids."

"Right…"

Lyla smiled. "You're the first male born into that line, and your great-grandmother was convinced that you would change one day. And maybe she was right." She could see the realization dawning on Zac's face as she spoke. "Maybe the spell that banished your ancestor and made her human only fully affected the women in your family. Maybe it ensured that no one in the family would ever be born a mer_maid_…but it didn't anticipate the possibility of a mer_man _in the bloodline."

Zac glanced back down at the moon ring for a moment, thinking through her theory. It was apparent that he was not fully convinced, but she could tell that he was at least willing to consider it.

"Isn't that a bit silly?" He began slowly. "I mean, it's a pretty big oversight not to expect males to be born into a family at some point. There is a fifty-fifty chance, after all."

Lyla, who had anticipated this question, quickly shook her head. "It's not that surprising, actually. Since the war separated mermaids and mermen, we haven't been able to breed in…err…traditional ways." She hesitated, feeling suddenly uncomfortable about the fact that she was discussing merpeople's breeding habits in front of Zac. Before she had time to let her imagination get the best of her, she continued. "Since the war, we have relied on the magic of the moon pools to procreate—and no merman has been born in a mermaid pod for nearly a thousand years. The council that banished your ancestor probably didn't think it was even possible for a male to be born in your family line."

Zac's eyes widened as she spoke. "So…you're saying I'm an impossibility? That I wasn't supposed to exist?"

"No." Lyla cut in, wanting to clarify. "Of course you're not an impossibility. As you pointed out, every generation since the banishment has married a human male— that must have diluted the mermaid magic after a while, making a male offspring possible."

The young man nodded slowly. Although nothing was certain at this point, she knew that she had put forth a plausible explanation that was worth further exploration.

"But if being male exempts me from the family banishment, why didn't I turn into a merman before I fell into the moon pool? Shouldn't I have been a merman all along? Did the magic become too diluted after all of that time?"

Lyla shrugged. "I don't know." She replied honestly. "It's not like this happens often, so it's hard to say how things were supposed to be."

Suddenly feeling even more awake than she had before, the young mermaid hopped up off of the couch and offered her hand to Zac. "The only way we are going to get any answers is if we go to Rita's." She stated, a look of determination on her face. "Race you to the dock? We can swim there faster than we can walk."

Zac hesitated for a moment before giving in and taking her hand. "You're lucky I don't have school tomorrow." He muttered as the pair made their way out into the moonlight.

Neither one was sure what sort of answers lay ahead, but Lyla knew that they would find them together…

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A/N Thanks for reading! There should be more action soon! I have it all plotted out in my head, and I'll try to keep the updates frequent. Thanks again for the reviews—I hope this chapter helped clear up a few questions that people had :) As always, let me know what you think.


	8. Exile

"Is anyone hungry for prawns?" Rita asked as she walked down the stony steps and into the main part of the grotto, tray in hand.

Four ravenous teenagers looked up at her, nodding eagerly as she placed the food on the nearest table.

"Thanks, Rita." Zac said appreciatively, reaching out and grabbed a handful. "I think we forgot to eat breakfast."

"I figured as much," Rita replied with a knowing smile. "Have you guys had any luck?"

In a matter of hours, Rita's grotto had been turned into research central.

When they had arrived late last night, Zac and Lyla had spent a while carrying stacks of books that might help them down there. The office was too small for them both to spread out in, and the lush pillows that lined the grotto's walls made it a much more appealing reading space.

They'd done a bit of research last night but, by five am, they were both too tired to continue. Although countless questions had continued to burn in both of their minds, they had finally settled into a restless sleep.

Nixie had found them there several hours later (according to her embarrassing re-telling, they had been "snuggled together like a married couple")—after a rather rude awakening, they had told the others what they had learned from Zac's mum last night, and everyone had agreed to help them search for more answers.

So far, nobody had come up with much, but they were showing no signs of defeat.

"Nothing yet." Lyla conceded, looking up from the large book she had spread out on her lap. "I think this book is a bit too old. It has some information about rebellious mermaids, but most of the stories go back centuries. We figure that Zac's ancestor must have been exiled around 1920 or so, based on his great-grandmother's birthdate."

Rita nodded thoughtfully as she took a seat on the ledge next to Sirena

"I'm sorry my books are a bit limited." She commented, surveying the pile that they had placed on the floor. "I could only take so many when I left. I used to have quite the collection, back home."

"You still have quite a few," Sirena commented with her trademark sunny smile. . Lyla held back a chuckle— Sirena's optimism was refreshing. You could always count on her to look on the bright side.

"It's too bad that we don't have council records or something, though. That would probably tell us more about the exiled mermaid's case." Nixie noted, closing the book she had been flipping through with a huff. "I seem to recall our school library having records like that. I never bothered looking through them, though."

Lyla nodded in agreement "Good point, I—"

But before she could finish, an excited outburst from Rita cut her off.

"That's it! Wait here!"

Lyla had rarely seen the older mermaid so enthusiastic, and they all watched in awe as Rita bolted up the stairs and out of the room.

"Well, that was weird." Nixie commented, throwing her book into the pile. "But maybe she's thought of something that will put an end to our misery."

Lyla rolled her eyes, not amused that her friend was being so dismissive. This wasn't just some regular mundane task—this was about Zac, their pod-mate, and finding things that might have significant implications for his past and future was not something to complain about.

"If you don't want to help, you can leave." She snapped, shooting her trademark glare at the brunette. "No one is forcing you. Although I would have thought that you cared enough to help us out, for a change."

Before Nixie could reply, Sirena cut in. "Lyla, I'm sure she didn't mean it that way. Nixie is being very helpful."

Nixie threw up her hands in defeat. "Yeah, calm down Lyla. I know it's important. But I'd be lying if I said that this was my ideal way to spend a Saturday. If Rita has something that can speed this up, that's great." She paused, glancing mischievously between Lyla and Zac. "The sooner we can help your mysterious boyfriend the better, right?"

Lyla heard Zac let out a small squeak, which he awkwardly covered up with a forced cough. Her cheeks turned bright red, and she sent Nixie her more intense glare.

The girl always knew how to press the wrong nerve.

Before she could come up with a retort, however, Rita flew back into the room, a large stack of aged papers in her hand.

"I'm so sorry I didn't think of this sooner." The woman began, placing the papers on the main table in front of them. "I can't believe it didn't come to mind right away."

Lyla started quizzically down at the stack, wondering what her mentor had found.

"When I was preparing to leave the pod," Rita began to explain, "I went through the mer-school archives, researching past cases of forbidden love and exile. Before I told the council about my choice to marry and land person, I wanted to see how the council had reacted to such instances in the past. I went though the case archives, and I copied out a bunch of the reports so that I could study them."

Lyla's eyes widened as she realized how significant this could be. If Rita had a copy of Zac's ancestor's case file, there were bound to be some answers in there.

"When you told me the story about Zac's great-great grandmother I knew something about it sounded vaguely familiar." The oldest mermaid continued, flipping through the papers eagerly. "Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that might have been one of the cases I studied."

Lyla felt her heart-rate quicken. She exchanged a quick glance with Zac, and she could tell that the young man was even more eager to see if Rita was right.

Flip. Flip. Flip.

There were all too anxious to speak, and the shuffling of paper was the only sound that filled the grotto for several long moments.

And then, finally, Rita stopped.

"Yes!"

From the look on her face, Lyla could tell that her surrogate aunt had found what she was looking for.

"Case 7746553-1921," Rita began, her eyes glued to the old parchment. "Diana Periwinkle, aged 23 years, was condemned to spend her remaining days on land for the crime of fraternization with the enemy."

The four teens listened eagerly as Rita continued.

"This mermaid was caught engaging in forbidden ancient courting rituals with the enemy. She has also confessed to allowing a merman into the vicinity of Mako, thus recklessly endangering the lives of all of her pod mates. Although the merman has not yet been apprehended, Miss. Periwinkle was caught on 7 July, 1921 and imprisoned for three days before her council hearing. Upon reviewing the case, the council found her guilty, by a vote of 4 to 0. Due to her connection to the criminal, council-woman Nerida Periwinkle, was excused from the vote. Miss. Periwinkle's powers were stripped by the members of the council and she was forced into human form. She is henceforth banished from the mer-realm—neither she, nor her descendants, shall ever regain the privilege of returning to the sea as a mermaid."

As Rita placed the parchment back down onto the table the other four exchanged wide-eyes glances.

Lyla was buzzing with excitement. This seemed to confirm so much—Mrs. Blakely's old family stories _had _been true, and she had been correct to think that the banishment spell had only applied to mer_maids_.

'…_neither she, nor her descendants, shall ever regain the privilege of returning to the sea as a mermaid,'_ the case file had read.

It said nothing about mermen. Her theory that Zac was exempt still held.

"Woah, harsh." Nixie muttered, voicing what they all seemed to be thinking.

"Do you think that was definitely her?" Sirena asked, turning towards Zac.

The young man appeared to be slightly dazed as he absorbed the information but, after a slight pause, he managed to nod.

"I'm pretty sure." He began, his voice a bit shaky. "My mum mentioned the name Diana last night. It must be the same person, there are too many coincidences to ignore."

Lyla nodded in agreement, recalling the family names that Mrs. Blakely had listed off last night. He was right, there was little doubt that they had stumbled across the right case.

"Woah, so that means you're related to Nerida Periwinkle, too!" Nixie exclaimed, looking over at Zac with a hint of something that could easily be mistaken for respect. But since it was Nixie, Lyla knew better. "I had no idea that she'd had such a scandal in the family. I wonder how she was related to Diana…"

The other three mermaids looked equally impressed and it took Lyla a second to realize that Zac had no idea who they were talking about.

She could tell that he was about to ask, and she decided to explain.

"You know that merpeople have longer lifespans than humans, right?" She began, pausing until Zac nodded. "Well, Nerida Periwinkle is still alive, and still a council woman. Head council woman, in fact. She is the most respected member of the pod."

"Oh." Zac replied, still not quite grasping the way that mermaid hierarchy worked. "So she's like, your Prime Minister or something?"

Lyla chuckled. "Sure, something like that."

"And according to this," Sirena cut in, looking down at the book of mermaid genealogy that now lay open in her lap. "Diana was Nerida's daughter."

Nixie let out a long breath. "Wow, mega harsh." She said.

"So she had to watch as her own daughter was exiled forever?" Zac asked, trying to clarify the story that was unfolding.

Rita nodded sadly, "I'm sure it was terrible for her. She's a gentle woman, you know. Very kind. In fact, she was the only council member who voted against my expulsion when I was brought before them."

"Aquata said she was the only one who voted against our banishment too." Sirena piped in.

Lyla nodded. She had found memories of the council woman herself—Rita was right, she was a gentle soul. Although she had only met Nerida a handful of times, Lyla had admired her flawless combination of strength and compassion. It was little wonder that she had risen to the head of the council. It was difficult not to respect her.

Her mind raced as she thought about the implications of these new discoveries. With this new information in mind, perhaps they could plead Zac's case to the council. Maybe Nerida could convince the other council members to tolerate her descendant. If she could convince them that this particular merman was not a threat, then maybe the pod would be allowed to return.

And Zac would be allowed to stay.

"We've got to let Nerida know, somehow." Lyla stated, looking at the others hopefully. "If she knows that Zac is part of her bloodline, then maybe she can talk the others into letting him join the pod."

"It's still a long shot, Lyla." Rita pointed out, giving the girl a sympathetic smile.

"I know," Lyla replied. "But we have to try."

She was determined, now more than ever, to find her happily ever after.

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A/N- I hope that was okay- let me know! Expect more romance in the next chapter…and the appearance of an old friend.

Thanks again for those who reviewed—and Periwinkle Starfish, I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your name :)


	9. A Long Time Coming

"Zac."

Lyla called out his name as she approached.

He was sitting alone on a quiet patch of beach, not far from Rita's house. They had been there several times before—it was a secluded spot, surrounded by trees and not frequently visited by others. It was a perfect place to dive in and splash around with your tail for a bit, which is exactly what they had done on previous occasions.

For now, however, Zac had chosen to remain dry and she figured that he probably wasn't in the mood for gleeful splash fights. He had found a safe patch of sand, a few feet away from the incoming tide and was currently hugging his legs against his chest, as if keeping them as far away from the water as possible.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

To her relief, Zac looked up and smiled. It wasn't her favourite full-on lopsided grin, but she could tell that it was still genuine. He didn't mind her company.

It had been a few hours since their discovery in the grotto, and she knew that they were both worn out from the experience. They, along with Rita, Nixie and Sirena, had spent the afternoon discussing what they had learned, and figuring out the best way forward.

Nixie had been wary about enlisting Nerida's help. As usual, she was the most pessimistic of the bunch and was unconvinced that their revelations about Zac's lineage would help bring the pod back to Mako. They'd never trust a merman, she had declared, relative or not.

Rita was fairly cautious as well, but conceded that there was no harm in trying.

Thankfully, Sirena had been on Lyla's side, and was very willing to make an appeal to the council on Zac's behalf.

Lyla had been thankful to have her there—although, if she was entirely honest, she probably wasn't as optimistic as Sirena was. Sure, she had been happy to discover Zac's connection to the Periwinkle clan, but she also knew that Nixie had a fair point.

Mermen had always been the enemy.

Period.

She wasn't sure if anything could change that—but that wouldn't stop her from trying.

If there was any hope of bringing back the pod AND keeping Zac in Mako, than she knew that she had to seize it.

Throughout the entire conversation, Lyla had been unable to tell what Zac was thinking. He'd piped in a few times but, for the most part, he had remained silent. She had been a bit surprised—after all, this was more about him than anyone else, and she had thought that he'd be keen to help them find a way to set things right.

But, she supposed, he was probably just exhausted from the events of the past twenty four hours.

She couldn't blame him for that.

With a sigh, she stared out at the calm water, her eyes fixed on the soft glow of the setting sun.

"Sirena says she's going to meet up with Aquata in a few days and tell her what happened." Lyla began, recounting the conversation that occurred after Zac left, declaring that he needed some fresh air. "Since we're all exiled, we figure it might be best to send Aquata on our behalf—she can tell the council what we know and, if they want to come here to assess the situation, they will."

She waited for a response but, aside from a slight nod, Zac said nothing.

Silence fell, and Lyla wondered if he had only pretended to want her company.

Maybe he did need to be alone right now.

She didn't want to intrude.

Before she had a chance to make an exit, however, Zac finally spoke.

"Lyla, why do you care about this so much?" He asked, turning towards his companion. There was no anger in his tone, and it was apparent that it was a genuine question. "Why were you so determined to find out about my family?"

Taken aback, Lyla hesitated.

She hadn't really thought about her true motivations too much, and she certainly hadn't expected Zac to ask her outright. It only took her a few moments, however, to realize that she did know why.

Deep down, she had always known why.

"Because," she began cautiously, trying to decide how much she should disclose. "Because I care about you. And if there is a way to make you happy _and_ get the pod back, then I want to find it."

He gave her a soft smile.

She tried, in vain, to ignore how much the sight of his handsome face made her stomach flutter.

The fading light accentuated his strong features so wonderfully.

"If you want to get the pod back, you should be spending your time finding a way to turn me back," he began again, an eyebrow raised. "You heard what Nixie said—the council is never going to trust a merman, no matter what. But if you make me human again, they can return, and I can go back to my old life. That's what we should be aiming for, isn't it?"

"But the moon pool didn't turn you back, and maybe…"

"I know," he cut in gently. "But there is probably another way. If the council managed to take away my ancestor's tail, then maybe they can do the same to me. If we can convince them that I am safe enough to approach, maybe they will."

Lyla felt a terrible sinking feeling inside of her as he spoke. She hated the thought of it—the thought of never swimming with him again. The thought of never seeing his strong handsome tail kicking beside her own.

And, while she didn't mind being on land occasionally, she did hope to return to the sea more permanently one day. Perhaps it was silly, but she couldn't image doing that without him. She wasn't sure if she was strong enough to leave him behind…

…even if her feelings weren't reciprocated.

"But, you don't really want that, do you?" She asked, her voice shakier and softer than she had intended.

She didn't want him to know how much the thought of him leaving her world hurt her. If he wanted to return to his old life, she didn't want to stand in his way. It would have been too selfish of her.

Zac hesitated, turning back to the water for a second as he contemplated his answer.

"I don't know anymore." He answered honestly. "You know that I love the sea. I love swimming, I love the freedom and the beauty of it. It makes me feel more alive than I ever did before." He turned, his brown eyes locking with her blue. "And, most of all, I'd miss our time together."

Her heart leapt.

"But…" He trailed off, the sadness apparent in his gaze. "If there is a way to change me back, we both know that it would be easier that way. Everything could go back to normal, and we can try to forget about this crazy year. I could live the life I was meant to live."

Lyla could hardly believe what she was hearing. Sure, she knew that he probably thought he was being valiant by sacrificing a part of himself for the greater good, but it wasn't what he wanted.

She could see past his bravado.

She refused to let him continue down this path.

"Don't you understand, Zac?" Lyla replied forcefully as she reached out to grab his hand. "You weren't _meant _to have a regular boring life. I've always known that there was something different about you—something special. You have a connection to the ocean that no other human has. That's why I was so determined to find out more about your family. I thought that there might be answers there, and I was right."

He gave a dejected sigh, but the girl continued anyway.

"I don't care what you say," she began again. "The sea is part of who you are. It always has been. You were meant to be a merman—you _are_ a merman— and you were meant to have this life. That doesn't mean you have to give yourself to the ocean permanently, but you need to accept that it is in your blood, and you're never going to be happy if you always stay on dry land. And that's why I refuse to just take the easy way out and have the council make you human."

She drew a deep breath before continuing her rant. Now that she had started, it seemed impossible to stop. "But it doesn't mean you have to give up everything else, either. You can have the best of both worlds—you can see your parents, do human things, maybe you'll even find another land girl one day. But d—"

"I don't want a land girl."

Lyla froze in mid-sentence.

For a second, she was certain that she had imagined those words—but as her eyes met Zac's she knew that was not the case.

"What?" She asked, stunned.

He was staring at her in a way that seemed to burrow into her soul. She had never had anyone look at her with such a combination of affection and fear and hope before.

Her body tingled with anticipation.

This had to be a dream.

There was no way…

After all this time…

Zac squeezed her hand gently.

For a moment, it felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

"God, Lyla, I've wanted to tell you so many times," he whispered, his gaze still locked on hers.

"Tell me what?" She replied softly, her heart racing.

He gave a nervous chuckle. "Sometimes I don't know how you manage to be so brilliant and yet so dense at the same time."

On a regular day, she would have hit him playfully for that remark, but she was far too distracted to care about that now.

"I'm in love with you, Lyla." He paused. "I have been for a long time."

His words hung in the air. For a moment, all she could do was stare at him, her mouth opening and closing like a frightened fish.

She couldn't believe it, but she couldn't deny it either.

He had said it.

He had really, really said it.

The boy she had loved for nearly a year _loved her back_.

"Look, if you don't feel the same way…"

Lyla didn't allow the dark haired merman to finish his sentence. Instinct taking over, she leaned forward and her lips locked with his. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they shared one long, perfect, kiss.

When they pulled apart, both were grinning from ear to ear.

"So, I take it you're not mad at me?" Zac asked, his old confidence now returning.

She wacked him lightly across the arm. "Maybe a little mad that it took you this long to tell me," she said, still smiling.

"Hey, you didn't tell me either," he retorted in mock annoyance. "In fact, you still haven't, technically."

She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly as she rose to her knees and straddled herself across his lap.

With a playful grin, Lyla looked down and finally said what she had wanted to say for so long.

"I love you too, Zac Blakely. No matter what you are."

He reached up and kissed her again, his hand bushing a stray piece of golden hair behind her ear.

Moments later, the warm ocean tide swept across their feet, temporarily disturbing their bliss. After one more quick kiss, Lyla moved back to her former position at his side, just in time to watch both of their tails appear.

Nonplused, she turned back towards him, still unable to suppress the smile on her face. She quickly noticed, however, that his expression had become more serious. His eyes had drifted down to her bronze tail, and she was unable to read his expression. Perhaps he found her less appealing in this state…

Nervously, she tried to find out.

"Is everything okay, Zac?" She asked. For her, having a tail was perfectly natural—but perhaps he was still a bit uncomfortable with it all. Or worse, maybe he had no desire to kiss her in her mermaid form.

Thankfully, she was mistaken.

"You're so beautiful." Zac replied, placing a gentle hand on her tail. She squirmed pleasantly under his warm touch.

"Even like this?" Lyla asked nervously, her eyes flickering towards her tail.

Much to her relief, he smiled. "Especially like this." He replied, his voice husky with desire.

Cupping her face, he kissed her again, just as passionately as before.

"You're right," he whispered as another wave swept over them, splashing them with soothing sea water. "I could never give this up."

Her body felt as if it was on fire.

She hadn't known that it was possible to be this happy.

This complete.

He drew her towards him again, and their lips touched and their tails brushed softly against each other.

Nothing else mattered. It was only them.

Bodies intertwined, they slipped gracefully into the ocean and the world faded away.

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A lone figure emerged from the bushes, only a few meters from the beach were Lyla and Zac had been.

There was a distinct scowl on his face as he glanced at the empty patch of sand where the two lovers had just been, and he muttered something under his breath about a "disgusting sight."

As he thought about some of the conversation snippets he had overheard, however, his scowl transformed into a grin.

Lyla and Zac had denied him his happiness, and he was now fairly certain that he knew how to deny them theirs.

Cam was ready to start putting his latest plan into action…

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A/N- Hope people enjoyed that. Do let me know if the romantic bits were decent! There will be more. And more Cam as well, so beware.

Thanks to those that did review last time! Feedback is great, and much appreciated.

Fictionlover94- in answer to your question—I haven't really decided yet, and I'm not sure if I'll need to go into details for this story (I don't want to have to up it to an M rating), but I'll see what I can come up with. As I did say in a previous chapter, I imagine mermaids would need to use some sort of magic to reproduce without mermen. Thus my vague mention of moon pool magic. Not sure what the ancient, more traditional methods would be…something a bit more human like, I'd say.


	10. Confrontation

For Lyla, the next few days passed in a joyful blur and she often had to remind herself that the events that evening on the beach had not been a dream.

In retrospect, she knew that there had been so many signs that Zac had been harbouring feelings for her— but she had stubbornly brushed them off, convinced that Zac would never see her as more than a friend. She had been certain that he was still fixated on Evie and, even if he didn't manage to reconcile with his old flame, she had always assumed that he would settle down with a nice, normal land girl. She had never dreamed that he would be willing to build a life with her. Lyla loved being a mermaid, and Zac knew that she wasn't like Rita or Sirena—she never wanted to give up her life in the sea to stay permanently on the shore, no matter how tempting it was at times. But, amazingly, he didn't seem to care.

"_I don't care where we are, as long as we're together."_ He had told her earnestly.

Those words had brought an irrepressible smile to her face and Lyla had been unable to stop her imagination from running wild. Finally allowing herself to succumb to girlish fantasies, she had thought wistfully about their future—she pictured them exploring the seas together, finding a place to settle.

Starting a family of their own…

As a child, she never could have imagined herself falling head over heels for a merman. But ever since Zac had come into her life, she had realized that she had been foolish to listen to the fear inducing stories that other mermaids told. Despite his early misguided attempt to capture the trident, Lyla knew that Zac would never dream of threatening her or the pod. Like them, he cherished the sea and wanted to live a peaceful life.

Although she still was not terribly optimistic, she still held out hope that the council would have enough sense to see that. Serina had told Aquata about Zac's family connections, and she was on her way back to the pod now.

It was hard not to spend time worrying about what the pod would decide, but Lyla did her best to stay focused on things that she could control.

Today had provided many good distractions so far. She had spent last night at Zac's, sleeping in a human bed for the first time…and trying out some new human experiences. It had found it all pleasantly peculiar— and she had loved waking up to his tender kisses, their bodies still entwined.

She didn't think that she had ever experienced such happiness before.

After a relaxing afternoon on the beach they had made their way to Mako with the others, readying themselves for the regrettable, but necessary, task at hand.

There would be a full moon that night and, since Cam's attempt to get to the moon pool several months ago, they had agreed that they had a duty to thwart his future efforts. During each full moon since, Sirena and Nixie spent the night in the pool, while Lyla and Zac guarded the land entrance.

So far, no one had ever seen any signs of Cam, but they knew that continued vigilance was necessary.

They couldn't let down their guard.

And that was why they had come to Mako now.

Lyla felt Zac reach out and take her hand and she shot him a quick smile. Walking together like this felt so natural now, and she was glad that many of her former anxieties were now gone. He still had an effect on her, of course, and her stomach still filled with butterflies when he was near—but now, it wasn't about hiding her secret crush. She could finally embrace her feelings and simply enjoy their time together.

"I can see it up ahead." Zac noted, nodding his head towards the rock wall that contained the magical entrance to the moon pool.

The moon had not yet risen, so it still looked like a regular patch of rock—but they had been there enough times to know exactly where the door would appear later that night.

As they finished climbing the hill, Zac threw off his backpack and pulled out a soft red blanket. After spreading it on the leafy ground he took a seat and reached out to direct Lyla to his side.

"Might as well make ourselves comfortable."

This was all part of their routine now—they had spent several long nights on that blanket during previous full moons. But, now that things had changed, Lyla was certain that they would come up with new activities to keep them occupied during their night of guard duty.

With a smile, she joined him. His arm wrapped around her body, and she placed her head on his strong shoulder.

For a moment, they sat in silence, simply enjoying each other's warmth.

"Sirena says that Aquata is probably back at the pod by now. It takes about three days to swim to their new location from here." Lyla noted, trying to mask the hint of anxiety in her voice.

Zac nodded. "That's good, I guess." He began hesitantly. "When do you think we'll hear back from the council?"

"I don't know." Lyla replied honestly, wrapping her right arm around his sculpted torso. "We might not hear back at all. Although I suppose we'll get some sort of news from Aquata, even if Nerida and the council aren't willing to rethink the case."

She felt her companion's shoulders slump. She knew that he was even less optimistic about the outcome than she was, but she didn't think it was time to give up all hope.

"And maybe Nerida will want to come here to gather more information," Lyla continued. "She might want to meet you. After all, you're a tie to her daughter—someone that she loved and lost. And if she does meet you, she'll see that there is no reason for the pod to be afraid."

Zac let out a sad chuckle. "I doubt it will be that easy." He remarked. "I don't think my existence is enough to overcome the deep hatred between mermaids and mermen. I mean, we know what the council did to my great great grandmother for falling in love with a merman…and I have a feeling that attitudes haven't changed."

The young man paused, looking thoughtfully down at the girl by his side.

"Wait…" he began again. "If they banished my ancestor to the land permanently for falling in love a merman, does that mean they'd do the same thing to you?" His eyes widened as he the possible consequences of their new relationship dawned on him.

Lyla paused for moment. To be honest, she hadn't thought of things in those terms yet, and she wasn't really sure what the council would do. Perhaps she had become too accustomed to the commonality of male-female relationships among land dwellers recently, but their affection did not feel the least bit forbidden or wrong to her now. She didn't see Zac as an enemy merman—he was just smart, funny, handsome Zac Blakely. _Her_ Zac. How could that possibly be bad?

Suddenly, she understood how terrible things must have been for his exiled relative. She shuddered to think about being faced with the same estrangement. The thought of having to leave him forever was almost unbearable.

"I doubt it." She replied finally, deciding to go with the most optimistic assessment. "I'm already partially exiled, so the council doesn't have full power over me anymore. And if they allow you to live with the pod, they won't be able to stop us from being together."

He looked somewhat unconvinced, but nodded anyway.

"Okay."

Silence fell as they both tried to push their darkest thoughts aside.

They would be okay.

They had come too far to let anything stop them now.

"Anyway," Zac began again, clearly eager to change the subject. "We should probably be on high alert tonight—ever since I saw Cam at the café last week, I can't shake the feeling that he is up to something. And chances are, it involves Mako."

Lyla nodded, recalling what he had told her after he last saw his ex-friend. Cam had been patting something large and rectangular in his bag while sending Zac a knowing smirk.

"I've been trying to think about what he had that day." Zac continued, his brow furrowed. He always looked angrier when he talked about Cam nowadays. The betrayal was still fresh in his mind, and Lyla knew that it was not something that he would ever fully recover from.

Losing your best friend and realizing that he was out to seize power and destroy you was a pretty awful thing. Lyla would have been devastated if Nixie or Serina had done something like that. Nixie's misguided alliance with Cam had been bad enough—but thankfully, she hadn't really known about his true plans.

"It might have been a book." Zac mused. "I can't think of many other things that would be that shape. But I don't know what sort of book he could use against us. It's not like he could go to the local library and sign out something about the moon pool. Humans don't even know it exists."

Lyla nodded, equally stumped.

"Who knows." She said with a sigh. "But you're right, we should probably be extra careful tonight. He might actually try something."

"Maybe we—" Zac was about to reply, but a new sound caused him to stop in mid-sentence.

For a second, Lyla thought it was the sound of something falling off of a nearby tree but she quickly realized that was not the case.

It was the sound of someone slowly clapping.

And they both jumped up in time to see a third figure emerging from the bushes, a confidant smirk on his spiteful face.

"_Cam_." Zac hissed, his fists now clenched. The tension between them was impossible to miss.

Cam gave a final clap before folding his arms across his chest. He seemed completely unaffected by Zac's aggressive stance and Lyla had to hold back a shudder. Cam was calm. Too calm.

There was something undeniably ominous about it all.

"Well done, fish brains." Cam said, staring down his former friend. "I applaud your intrepid sleuthing."

Zac took an aggressive step forward and Lyla worried that the two would quickly come to blows.

"We're not letting you into the cave." The young merman growled. "You're stupid to even try. You know you won't win in a fight."

Rather than buckle under the verbal threat, Cam simply laughed.

"I have no interest in fighting you, Zac." He said coolly. "And I don't care about the moon pool anymore either."

Despite himself, Zac balked. "What?" He asked, confused.

Lyla's heart was racing as she watched. She had been keeping one eye on the rock wall as the boys confronted each other, but now turned her full attention towards them. His retort was surprising—after all, the entire feud had started because Cam was jealous, and was determined to get mer powers for himself.

Perhaps his new disinterest in the moon pool was a bluff.

"You heard me." Cam continued, casually putting his hands into his pockets. "I don't care about your stupid pool anymore. Sure, the powers have a certain appeal, but I decided that I'd rather not be a _freak_." He looked between the two others, a clear hint of disgust in his gaze. "And besides," He continued, "I don't need magical powers to give you what you deserve."

Lyla's felt her stomach sink.

What happened next was a blur.

Zac launched himself at Cam, but the shorter boy was nimbler than his muscular friend and managed to dodge him easily. Zac stumbled, and Lyla was about to bolt to his side when she felt an unexpected hand grab her arm.

Cam had come up behind her, and she had been caught fully off guard.

Roughly, he pulled her towards him and she caught sight of a small bottle of red liquid in his other hand.

"Your time here is up." Cam hissed, his blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "You've already done enough harm."

Before she could pull away, he splashed her legs with the red liquid, grinning as he watched the pain spread across her face.

He legs felt as if they were on fire, and she quickly sank to the ground, unable to take the agony of standing.

Hearing her cries, Zac ran to her side, pushing Cam onto the ground as he passed. The other young man fell hard but miraculously managed to pull himself up in no time. His arm was bleeding badly, but he didn't seem to care.

Thinking that Cam was temporarily out of the way, Zac fell to his knees at Lyla's side, the worry apparent on his face. Unfortunately for the two young lovers, however, Cam was not out of commission yet. With lightening speed, he pulled out a second bottle and dumped the sickeningly green liquid it contained onto Zac.

Zac jolted in surprise before springing to his feet—but it quickly became apparent that it was too late.

Cam had, apparently, done what he had come to do and was bolting for the trees. Before Zac could begin to follow after him, a wave of pain stopped him in his tracks and his knees buckled.

Breathing heavily, he crawled towards Lyla, reaching out for her hand.

That was the last thing she remembered before the world faded to black.

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A/N- Let me know what you thought!

What did Cam do? What is going to happen next?

Stay tuned!


	11. The Aftermath

Lyla awoke in Zac's arms.

Although she was disoriented at first, as her vision cleared she realized that he was carrying her through the trees towards the waterfront. The pain in her legs was gone but, as she tried to move them she realized that they had disappeared—instead, her tail flapped gently against Zac's side.

Looking up, she could see the strain and anger in his face as he pressed through the foliage. There was no doubt that he was furious at Cam for attacking them, but Lyla was grateful that he seemed physically unharmed. He had recovered even faster than she had apparently and, now that she had regained consciousness, she seemed to be okay.

"Lyla, you're awake." Zac said as he looked down at the young mermaid in his arms. His relief was apparent.

She nodded, trying to clear her head.

"Don't worry," he continued, his breaths ragged. "I'm going to get you into the water. You'll feel better after a little time in the sea."

Giving a sign of relief, Lyla smiled thankfully and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was still too drained to really speak, but she knew that he was right—the salt water always made mer people feel better.

As they approached the shore, Lyla felt a sense of relief wash over her. Whatever Cam had tried to do had failed, she thought gleefully—they were going to be okay.

"Nixie! Sirena!" Zac shouted their friends' names as he carried her across the beach. "Are you okay? Come out, we need your help!"

Although the two other mermaids were in the moon pool's cavern, there was a good chance that Zac's voice would carry far enough to alert them. Lyla knew that she would be relieved to see the other girls unharmed. Hopefully, Cam hadn't had anything in store for them.

Seconds later, Zac reached the shoreline and splashed into the water. The incline was steep, and they were both quickly submerged. The water felt wonderful against Lyla's skin and she stayed beneath the surface for several long moments, allowing the sea to restore her strength.

She wondered if Zac felt the same way.

Finally popping her head up, Lyla turned towards he companion, relieved that they had made it to safety. Even if Cam was still in the vicinity, they could easily get away from him in the water—his scuba gear was no match for their tails.

Any reprieve that Lyla felt quickly faded, however.

As she looked at Zac, she could see that his clothing had not faded away. She ducked beneath the surface for a second, her eyes wide with fear.

Zac had been in the water for over a minute already, and his tail hadn't appeared.

He was still human.

He still had legs…

Lyla popped back up, suddenly frantic.

_No, no, no, no, no._

…_it couldn't be. _

She didn't want to believe it.

"Zac, you didn't change." She whispered. She already knew that it was true, but a part of her needed his confirmation. "What's going on?"

She could tell from the look on his face that he was just as panicked as she was. "I..I don't know." He stuttered, his eyes clouded with confusion. "That green stuff that Cam dumped on me must have done this."

Lyla's heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She hated the thought of Zac losing his tail for good and she refused to believe that this was the end of the future she had dreamt of. If Zac could no longer be part of her world—part of his world—she wasn't sure what she would do.

"What's going on?" Nixie rose to the surface, her eyes locked on Zac, and Sirena followed close behind. "What happened to your tail?"

Zac turned to face the others and began to explain. "We're not sure…but Cam attacked us near the cave. He poured some sort of strange liquid on me. And when I jumped in the water, nothing happened."

"Woah." Nixie replied, just as shocked as Zac and Lyla had been. "So, he made some sort of potion or something? I didn't think that was actually possible."

"It's okay." Serina cut in, swimming up beside Lyla and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. The blonde mermaid clearly recognized the worry in her friend's face, and was doing her best to diffuse the situation. "The full moon will be above Mako in a few minutes." Sirena continued calmly. "Even if Cam did find some sort of potion to make Zac human, all he has to do is fall back into the moon pool." She paused. "You won't be able to hold your breath long enough to use the sea entrance—you'll have to go through the cave."

Lyla nodded in agreement, grateful that her friend had managed to remain so logical. Sirena was right—all hope wasn't lost. Zac just had to go to the moon pool and he would be back to normal in no time.

"Are you sure?" Zac asked, looking both hopeful and apprehensive. "I mean, now that I'm human again, your pod can return. As much as I'll miss my tail, I don't want to deny that from any of you. This could be your big chance."

Although Lyla knew that her friends had many reasons to wish for the pod's return, she was thankful to see them both shaking their heads with conviction.

"No, you have to go." Sirena said, taking a glance in Lyla's direction.

Nixie nodded again. "Yeah," she began with a small smile. "We may have wanted to change you back before…especially me…but we all know that that's not how things are supposed to be anymore. The sea is in your blood—you're not totally human anyway." She paused, looking back and forth between Zac and Lyla. "And more importantly, you two are meant to be together. On land _and_ sea."

Zac turned towards Lyla. He had been touched by their friend's words, and he was sure that Lyla agreed with their sentiments.

He knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Please, Zac." She said softly, reaching out to touch his hand.

Much to her relief, he nodded.

"Okay." He said, his eyes locking with hers. "But we need to hurry."

"I'll come with you." Lyla said, glancing towards the beach. "Nixie, you guard the sea entrance to the pool, in case Cam comes back. Sirena, you come with us to guard the cave."

The other two mermaids quickly agreed, and Nixie disappeared below the surface. The other three swam towards the beach—Zac was able to get out the water easily, and he helped Sirena and Lyla pull themselves onto a dry spot of sand.

After a few moments of brushing away the water, Sirena's legs appeared, and she got to her feet, ready to help set things right.

Lyla frantically tried to catch up, throwing handfuls of dry sand on her tail to help absorb the remaining water droplets.

"We've got to hurry." Sirena urged gently, glancing up towards the rising full moon.

Lyla continued to work away, frustrated by her lack of progress. "I'm trying." She said nervously. "It's not working."

Zac crouched by her side, inspecting her tail with wide eyes. "You're totally dry." He observed, unable to mask the worry in his voice.

There was no denying it. Everyone present knew that something was wrong.

Finally, Lyla said what they had all been thinking.

"Cam poured something on me too." She began, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"I…I don't think I can change into human form anymore."

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From a concealed spot in the bushes, Cam watched the scene unfold with a wide smile on his face.

Zac had emerged from the sea with his legs, and Lyla had been unable to get rid of her disgusting tail.

Everything was going exactly as he had planned.

Cam bit back a laugh as he watched Sirena and Zac takeoff up the hill, leaving Lyla to return to the water alone. He knew that there were going to try to change Zac back using the moon pool…and he knew that their quest was in vain.

He had read he had fine print of the stolen spell book carefully.

There was no going back now. The moon could not overpower the potion.

"Sorry mate," He muttered as he watched them disappear into the distance. "Your time with your little fish girl is up."

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A/N—I hope people liked this chapter. More questions will be answered soon.

Reviews make my day!


	12. Pulling Away

Being in the water had always given Lyla an amazing sense of freedom and she never thought that the sea would one day feel like a prison.

But after the events on Mako two days ago she felt utterly trapped.

In his spiteful attempt to make their lives miserable, Cam had figured out a way to trap her in mermaid form.

And now, for the first time in her life, she yearned to be free of her tail.

It was all so strange, really. Growing up, she'd had no desire to have legs or spend time on land. And for several months after she, Nixie and Sirena had used the moon rings to transform and track down Zac, she had continued to complain about having to walk rather than swim. But at some point between then and now, she had grown accustomed to it. She enjoyed the flexibility of switching between human and mer form at will.

While she would never want to give up the sea, but spending time on the shore had meant spending time with Zac and she had come to cherish those moments. The thought of never being able to share experiences with him on land again made her well with emotion, but she knew that she had to come to terms with this grim reality.

She would never be able to leave the water again.

And Zac could never truly join her.

He was human again, and she knew that things would never be the same.

Unfortunately, Zac's attempt to undo Cam's act by jumping into the moon pool had failed. Although he had managed to get there in time, nothing had happened when he emerged—his tail had not reappeared, and his powers had not returned. It seemed like whatever Cam had done was meant to be permanent.

At first, they were all stunned by what had happened. How could a land-boy have figured out what they could not—how had he made Zac human, and trapped Lyla in her true form? Slowly, however, the pieces had fallen together.

After telling Rita what had happened, the older mermaid had explained that certain dark potions could have that sort of effect. With enough determination and the right ingredients, anyone could make them—but most were banned under mermaid law and many would not activate if they weren't made by a truly malicious soul (which, apparently, Cam had).

At the mention of potions, Sirena had recalled the Rita's copy _of Mer Spells and Potions _had gone missing several weeks ago—Rita had blamed Lyla for misplacing it, but they now knew that there was another explanation.

Somehow, Cam had managed to take it. And he had used it to find a way to take his revenge on Zac and Lyla.

"_That must have been what he had in his bag the night he taunted me at the café,"_ Zac had muttered bitterly, clearly blaming himself for not putting the pieces together sooner. _"That bastard had been planning this for weeks."_

That all agreed that that made sense, and Rita had installed several extra security systems in the house the following day. There weren't sure how he had gotten into her library, but they needed to ensure that it never happened again.

But it was too late to change what had already been done.

As Rita had explained, many illegal potions had the power to thwart the magic of the moon, and it seemed as if that is what Cam had done. The moon pool, the moon rings…none of them had the power to reverse what had happened to Zac and Lyla.

Although Zac had tried to stay optimistic during the past few days, Lyla had been feeling less positive. As far as she could see, life as they knew it was over. Period. No matter how much they loved each other, this was an obstacle they could not overcome.

The sound of footsteps broke Lyla away from her dark thoughts. She was currently in Rita's underground pool, her arms folded against the wall. She knew that the other three mermaids were not at home, and she was puzzled by the apparent intruder.

"Hello?"

A male voice echoed through the stone hallway and she could tell instantly that it was Zac.

Lyla flinched. Three days ago, she would have been thrilled to see him—they had finally revealed their feelings to each other, and there was no one that she would have rather spent her days with.

But now, even the mere sight of him filled her with anger and sadness.

Rather than being the object of her love and affection, hew now seemed to represent what could never be. Each comforting smile he gave her filled her with overwhelming emptiness.

Drawing a deep breath, she steeled herself for the encounter. With luck, he would not stay long, and she would be able to hide how much pain she was in.

Zac came around the corner.

"I thought I'd find you here." He said softly, trying to keep his tone light. She could see that he was a bit wary—she'd been giving him the cold shoulder since Mako, and he knew that she was not coping with the recent changes well.

They had not had a big talk about what was to come, but they both knew that they would need to face the harsh facts soon.

Denial was not a viable option.

"Well, it's not like I have much of a choice." Lyla replied coolly. "I told Rita and the others I'd be here when they got back. And I can't exactly wander around the house anymore, can I?"

Zac flinched, but did not respond. Lyla decided to get right to the point. The sooner he left her alone, the better.

"Why are you here?" She asked, trying her best to sound detached.

Her heart may have been crying out in grief, but pushing him away seemed easier than breaking down. Maybe if he thought that she no longer cared for him, he would find it easier to move on.

She could mourn on her own, and he could build the life he had always imagined.

"To see you." Zac replied, taken aback by her tone. "I didn't see you at all yesterday, and I've missed you."

He paused, trying his best to keep his composure. "And besides, it's Thursday—we always swim on Thursdays. I thought that maybe I could get some scuba stuff from David and meet you near the start of the reef tonight. He said that's fine with him, and I think we both need to get our mind off of things a bit. It'll be good for us."

Lyla felt a lump building in her throat, but she tried her best to ignore it. She knew that he meant well, but the thought to swimming with him like that just made her feel worse—scuba gear might be okay for a bit, but it wasn't the same as swimming side by side in the open sea, their tails pumping powerfully against the waves.

They couldn't be _together_.

There was no "us" anymore.

She drew a deep breath. "No." She said simply, averting her gaze down towards the stony floor.

Lyla hoped that he would leave—hoped that he had gotten the message— but instead he moved closer. Kneeling at the side of the pool, he looked at her with wide pleading eyes.

It took every ounce of her strength not to buckle.

"Lyla, please." He tried again. "This is hard for me too, but we have to keep trying. Please don't push me away like this. I still lo—"

Lyla did not let him finish the word she could not bear to hear.

_Love_.

Even love couldn't overcome this.

She still loved him too, but she was realistic enough to know that it didn't matter.

Despite what they said, love could not conquer all.

"Don't, Zac." She cut in, squaring her jaw stubbornly. "You don't seem to understand—we _can't_ keep trying. I mean, what are we even aiming for? We belong to different worlds now. I'm a mermaid, you're a human. There is no way that we can possibly have a life together."

As much as it crushed her to say those words, she knew that it was true.

It was foolish to think otherwise, and Lyla had never been a foolish girl.

Cam's potions had sealed their fate. The end.

There would be no happily ever after.

Unfortunately, Zac was not ready to listen to reason.

"We don't know that," Zac protested. She could see hints of red forming around his eyes. "You mean the world to me, Lyla. You're my best friend, you're the most important person in my life, and I love you! Legs or fins, none of it matters."

She couldn't bear to look at him. His handsome face, his strong masculine frame, his wonderfully kissable lips…he wasn't hers anymore, and he never would be again. She almost wished that she could take back the last week of bliss they had spent in each other's arms. Sure, it had been magical and wonderful, like a dream come true, but now she knew that she would be missing out on. Happiness had been in her grasp, and now it was gone.

The sight of him only reminded her of how much she had lost.

She drew another deep breath, trying not to be swayed by his passionate plea.

"It does matter." She stated firmly. "You can't be part of my world, and I can't be part of yours. You heard what Rita said— no amount of moon magic can help us, and there is no way to go back to how things were." Lyla paused, finally willing herself to look up.

She could see the tears welling in his eyes now, and she knew that he understood.

This was it.

"None of this was meant to happen anyway." She finished, her voice softer than before. "Falling into the pool was an accident, and now things are back to the way they were supposed to be. You can live the regular life you were meant to have, and we can get the pod back. It's what we all wanted in the first place, isn't it?"

"Lyla, no." He whispered, reaching out to cup the side of her face with his hand.

She jerked back before he could touch her.

"You don't really believe that." He continued. "You can't."

Biting back her own tears, Lyla shook her head. Deep down, she knew that he was right—as she had said before, his connection to the sea was undeniable and she'd always thought that the ocean was part of his destiny.

That she was part of his destiny.

But things had changed now, and clinging to the past was a fool's errand.

With a sad smile she forced herself to look up at him and her blue eyes met his brown.

"I have to believe it." She said, her voice finally shaking with emotion. "It's the only way."

Unable to stand being there any longer, Lyla ducked beneath the water and propelled herself out of the cavern.

She needed to get away.

And she knew he couldn't follow.

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A/N—The end?

Haha, of course not. Stay tuned to see if/how this all works out! Your thoughts/reviews are much appreciated. I hope I successfully showed how torn Lyla is—she still loves him, but she's trying to be realistic as well.

Fictionlover94: Yes, Cam stole the book from Rita. I tried to drop hints in earlier chapters, but I know people probably missed them. Lyla mentioned that Rita's book is missing in one of the first chapters, and Zac notes that he saw a book-like object in Cam's bag :) Cam had taken it, and was hinting that he had a plan.


	13. They're Coming

"Come on, Lyla," Sirena pleaded, swimming up beside her friend, "you can't just shut down like this."

Ignoring her, Lyla forged ahead.

It was a magnificently sunny day and the open ocean sparkled beautifully in the daylight. It was a sight that usually would have brought a smile to Lyla's face but today, she felt nothing.

During the past few days she had realized that all of the things that had once brought her joy now seemed gloomy and cheerless. Even swimming had become a purely mechanical act and it seemed as if she was no longer truly experiencing life.

She was simply going through the motions.

So much of her energy was now spent trying to ignore the crushing pain insider of her—she had little room for anything else. But she was still trying her best to keep up a stoic façade.

On that particular morning, Sirena had asked her if she wanted to go for a swim around Mako, and (although all she actually wanted to do was curl up and cry), Lyla had agreed—primarily to keep the other mermaid off her case. Everyone knew how much she loved swimming on a clear day, and saying no would have heightened their concern.

She had thought that agreeing to go would help convince Sirena that she was doing okay. But, unfortunately, her friend seemed to see their excursion as an opportunity for a futile pep talk. That had been exactly what Lyla had wanted to avoid—she didn't need people telling her that 'things would be okay.'

Their well-meaning lies only made her feel worse.

"You can't ignore him forever." Sirena tried again, flipping her tail forcefully until she finally caught up with the other blonde mermaid. "He was pretty crushed after your last conversation, you know. David said Zac showed up at the café Wednesday night, looking as if he had just been dealt a death sentence. He did his best to comfort him, but there wasn't much he could do. Zac doesn't want to lose you, Lyla, and he's not sure why you won't talk to him."

With a flash of annoyance on her face, Lyla stopped swimming and turned sharply to face her friend.

"I can't talk to him." She began forcefully, a familiar lump building in her throat. "Not yet. Maybe not ever." Lyla paused, drawing a deep breath before her emotions overwhelmed her. "It's just too hard. I'm not strong enough."

Sirena placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "But you can't go on like this, Lyla." She said gently. "It seems like you're shutting down—pushing us all away. You can't live like this forever."

Lyla gave a bitter scoff. "Well, maybe I'll have to."

It made sense that Sirena would see solitude as a bad thing—she had always had family and friends and she was a caring person who thrived in the company of others. But Lyla was different. She had never_ really_ been close to anyone before Zac had come into her life. She had never been in love. And now that he could no longer be at her side, it seemed easiest to just revert back to what she knew.

Life was simpler when you were alone.

When you didn't care.

There was less pain that way.

"Look, I know things are tough right now," Sirena pressed on. "But you can't just give up. There has to be a way. You can make things work."

"I don't see how." Lyla replied flatly, unconvinced by her friend's optimism. "I thought you of all people would understand that."

Sirena gave her a perplexed look and she continued.

"What would you do if the same thing happened to you and David?" She began. "What if you were stuck with a tail and couldn't be with him?"

The other mermaid bit her lip, clearly saddened by the thought. While Lyla certainly did not want to upset her, she did want to make her see things from her perspective. Sirena loved David just as much as she had loved Zac— they had been together for several months now, and he had accepted her secret with ease. But since David was 100% human, Sirena's ability to get legs was crucial.

Their relationship wouldn't have worked if she was trapped in the sea.

"I…I don't know what I'd do." Sirena answered honestly. Lyla could hear the sympathy in her voice and she knew that her point had been successfully made.

There was a short pause and Lyla found herself hoping that Sirena would drop it. But unfortunately, she was not that lucky.

"But it's a bit different for you." Sirena began again. "David is definitely human—but we know that Zac has mermaid ancestry."

Lyla shrugged. Although her mission to find out about Zac's family had been at the forefront of her mind earlier that month, Cam's actions had largely driven it from her thoughts. Sure, they had found some surprising connections and she had been thrilled to discover that her boyfriend was descended from the head of their pod—at the time, it had seemed to validate her suspicions that he had a truly deep connection to the sea, and it explained why the moon pool hadn't been able to make him human again.

Now, however, it seemed far less significant. Zac may have had some mer blood, but Cam had still found a way to return him to human form. Apparently, he wasn't immune to all magical reversals and even the moon pool had failed to bring back his tail.

Zac had said it himself—his father was human, and the members of his mother's family had mated with humans for generations. There obviously wasn't enough mermaid magic in him to make much of a difference.

"So maybe we'll be able to figure something out." Sirena continued. "Maybe his unique ancestry will allow us to change him back somehow. Remember what his great-grandmother said? She told his mother to keep him out of the sea because he would change. That has to mean something."

For a second, Lyla felt a small glimmer of hope well inside of her, but she did her best to ignore it.

"The moon pool didn't work," Lyla pointed out sullenly. "And his ancestor must have been wrong—before last year, the sea had not effect on him. He didn't grow a tail, he didn't change. Not until he fell into the moon pool. And now that Cam found a way to nullify that magic, there is nothing we can do."

Sirena sighed, clearly frustrated by her friend's lack of hope. "We don't _know_ that." She muttered and she flicked her tail and shot a few feet ahead. "I still think—"

Before the girl could finish, however, the appearance of a third figure distracted them both from their conversation.

"Sirena." The newcomer called softly.

"Aquata!"

Despite their morose conversation, Sirena's face broke into the wide smile as she threw her arms around her sister, drawing her into a tight hug. "You're back!" She proclaimed. "I've missed you! Did you give our message to the council?"

Aquata nodded quickly. After taking a quick glance at the water behind her, she looked between the two younger mermaids.

"Yes." Aquata replied. "I told them everything you found out about the merman."

Lyla flinched as she spoke. Hearing Zac referred to as "the merman" stung more than she had expected.

"And…" Sirena pressed.

"The council is on their way here." Aquata said, her voice betraying her nervousness. "Nerida wants to meet Zac. They didn't say much, but I think they are willing to reassess the situation."

Lyla knew that the girl had put herself on the line for them by telling the council about Zac and requesting a reassessment of their case. She appreciated Aquata's efforts but, in light of recent events, it all seemed to be in vain.

Zac wasn't a merman anymore. Technically, their original mission had been achieved and the pod could return to Mako. Zac's family ties to the head council-woman hardly seemed to matter now. He couldn't join the pod now, even if they accepted him.

Lyla opened her mouth to bring Aquata up to date, but Sirena cut her off before she could.

"That's great!" she replied, shooting Lyla a pointed look that seemed to say _don't tell her anything yet_. "We'll go get him and meet you at the moon pool in half an hour."

"That should work." Aquata agreed. "When the council arrives, I'll bring them there to meet you."

"But—" Lyla began to protest. It seemed silly to go through all of this now—the council didn't need to meet Zac now that he was human again. They would probably be angry that the girls had wasted their time.

Unfortunately, before she could get any further, Sirena cut in again.

"Let's go. We don't have much time." She said, grabbing Lyla's wrist and dragging her below the surface.

Lyla wanted to object, but she had been too taken aback by Sirena's forceful actions to do much of anything. Surprised and slightly perplexed, Lyla allowed her friend to drag her through the water towards Zac's.

It seemed as if Sirena had a plan.

And for the first time in several days, Lyla allowed herself to hope.

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A/N—Hope that was okay! Not too eventful, I know…but the council is nearly there. What do they want to say to Zac? What will they think about what has happened?

Let me know what you think and I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP!


	14. The Council

This was quickly turning into one of the most surreal days of Lyla's life.

After leaving Aquata, she and Sirena had made their way to Zac's as fast as they could—Lyla still wasn't sure what this was all going to achieve, but she had decided to go along with it for now. Nerida was the head of the pod—and if she wanted to meet Zac, it would not be easy to refuse her request. As difficult as it was to face him, she had steeled herself for the task.

Thankfully, Zac had been sitting on the dock when they arrived. After they had explained the situation, Zac had bolted into action—throwing some scuba gear into his family's small boat and telling them to lead the way. Although the two of them had not had a chance to talk in the midst of the rush, Lyla could feel his eyes on her the entire time. It was both wonderful and gut wrenching to be in his presence again, but she did her best not to dwell.

There were more pressing matters at hand.

And maybe, just maybe, the council would be able to help.

Sirena certainly seemed to think so, and the other mermaid had barely stopped grinning since Aquata's arrival. Lyla had not had a chance to ask her why she was suddenly so cheery, but she suspected that Sirena expected the council to change Zac back into a merman.

The thought had crossed Lyla's mind as well—but she didn't know if they had that sort of power. And besides, the pod had left Mako because they feared having a merman in the region…she didn't see why they would want to change him back now that their problem was solved.

But nevertheless, Lyla had forged ahead, her body tingling with more excitement and anticipation than she had felt since Cam's attack.

They had arrived at the entrance to the moon pool in good time and Zac had strapped on his air tank as quickly as he could. The entrance was deep below the surface and he wouldn't be able to make it all the way through in his human form.

Once he was ready, the three had made their way into the cave together, emerging to find that Nixie had already arrived. Aquata had told her about the council's visit and she seemed anxious to get this entire ordeal over with.

While Zac pulled himself onto the rock ledge and did his best to dry off and make himself presentable, the three mermaids chatted nervously, having no idea what was to come.

Perhaps the council would be happy to discover that Zac had been changed back, and would welcome them back to the pod with open arms. Or maybe they would be annoyed that they had come all this way to meet a merman that no longer existed.

Lyla had no idea how Nerida would react to the most recent developments. After all, Aquata had said the councillor's main reason for coming was to meet Zac—would she be happy or disappointed that her descendant had lost his mer powers? Would she blame Lyla for what happened to him?

What would she do if she found out about their relationship? What would the rest of the council say?

After all, Nerida's daughter had been exiled for falling in love with a merman. Would Lyla be in trouble, even though their relationship had now become impossible anyway?

A small splashing noise broke Lyla away from her thoughts and she turned to see Aquata's head pop above the water, followed quickly by five more.

The council had arrived, and it was time to find out their fate.

Following standard protocol, Nixie, Sirena, Lyla and Aquata all moved in front of the five councillors who had appeared in the cave, bowing their heads in the traditional greeting.

Lyla held her breath, barely able to handle the suspense. The councillors were surveying the scene, many of them looking towards Zac who squirmed uncomfortably under their scrutiny.

Finally, the most important member of the council moved forward. Although it was clear that she was older than the rest she was still a stunning woman. Her long silvery hair (ornamented with a golden shell crown which marked her status) hung elegantly down her back and her clear blue eyes contained a wisdom that only experience could bring. Her poise and gentle features added to her impressiveness—there could be no doubt in anyone's mind that this was their leader.

This was Nerida.

"Hello Nixie, Sirena, Lyla." The head council woman began, nodding gracefully towards each of them in turn. They nodded back, and another brief silence fell over the pool. "And you must be Zac." The women finished, her gaze turning towards the young man who was standing nervously on the ledge.

"Yes." He replied, his voice quivering slightly. Copying the others, he gave a bow in her direction.

Much to everyone's relief, Nerida gave a small laugh. There was definite warmth in her eyes as she examined the young man. And, apparently, his formality had amused her.

"There is no need for that now," she said gently and she moved in his direction. "We're family, are we not?"

Lyla noticed that some of the other councillors looked slightly taken aback by her informal remarks, and one looked rather upset about the entire situation. But, thankfully, they all stayed silent.

"Yes." Zac answered, still unable to hide his nerves. Lyla could sympathize with his predicament—they had dragged him here quite unexpectedly and, like them, he had no idea what to expect.

Nerida smiled again.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Zac." She began again, her voice genuine. "Once I lost track of my daughter's family, I never expected that this day would come. Tell me, how many human generations have passed since her time?"

Some of the tension in Zac's shoulders seemed to ease. There was no doubt that Nerida was grateful for the reunion and he appeared to be quite happy for the opportunity himself. After all, most humans never got to meet their great-great-great grandmother.

But then again, most humans did happen to be related to mermaids.

"Your daughter, Diana, was my great-great-grandmother." Zac replied. "My mother had no idea where her ancestor came from—and I just found out about all of it a few weeks ago."

Lyla heard some of the other council women begin to mutter amongst themselves but, unfortunately, she could not make out what they were saying. I was clear, however, that they were less thrilled by this encounter than their leader. She was pretty sure that she heard one of them say something about "traitors" and "dangerous merman."

Nerida nodded, a hint of sadness flashing across her face. She knew that her daughter was long gone, along with some of the generations that followed.

"I see," she said softly. "And you were the boy who fell into the moon pool last summer—while Lyla, Nixie and Sirena were on duty, correct?"

"Yes, that was me."

The older mermaid paused and Lyla found it impossible to read her expression. After a moment, she turned towards the other council members, her expression still stoic.

"I would like to respectfully request a few moments alone with this boy and the three exiles." She stated, her tone indicating that this was not a request that they could easily refuse. "If you don't mind taking a short leave, I will summon you back to discuss the situation soon."

Reluctantly, the four dignitaries obliged and Aquata followed behind them as they ducked beneath the surface and made their way out of the moon pool.

After the last ripple of water settled, Nerida smiled once more. "Much better." She muttered, more to herself than the others. Suddenly, she seemed less formal than before—and Lyla sensed that the woman disliked the airs and graces that her position necessitated.

"Now, girls, Zac." She began, turning to each of them. "I can't keep the others out for long but while I have a chance, I wanted to tell you that I am doing everything in my power to get your case reconsidered."

Nixie and Sirena exchanged gleeful glances, but Lyla and Zac gave no reaction. Lyla appreciated her support, but she knew that they still had to tell Nerida what had happened. She was still under the impression that Zac was a merman.

"There isn't a day that goes by when I don't regret what happened to my daughter." The woman began again, surprising them all with her sudden disclosure. Lyla had only ever seen her in formal situations, and did not expect the head council woman to be so forward. "I was only a junior council member at the time," she continued. "I abstained from the vote that exiled her, but I've always felt that I should have done more. Her only crime was falling in love, and it is unfair to condemn anyone for that."

Despite herself, Lyla found herself looking up at Zac. He met her gaze with a warm smile, and she felt a joyful flutter in her chest that she had thought was gone forever.

No matter how tough she tried to act, she knew that she could never stop loving him. Fins or not.

"I know that I can never change what happened to Diana," the elegant mermaid began again, her eyes looking up towards Zac. "But even the council's banishment couldn't keep her bloodline out of the sea forever." She paused, smiling at the young man whose features contained ghostly traces of her long-lost daughter. "They never expected a male to be born into our line, you know. But now that Zac is here, and now that he has become who he was destined to be, I think it is time to reverse what was done. Zac belongs to our pod—it is part of who he is. And you girls should not be punished for watching his fate unfold."

For a second, Lyla's heart leapt.

This was exactly what she had dreamed of when they had uncovered Zac's family secret. It felt as if everything she wanted was nearly in her grasp…but the sight of Zac stranded on the dry rock ledge reminded her that things had changed.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Lyla spoke.

"I wish it could be that simple." She began, instantly diverting Nerida's attention. The older mermaid turned towards her, confused. "But a few days ago, someone who wanted to take his revenge on us managed to do something to Zac and I." She paused, pushing back the emotion that welled inside of her as she recalled the life-changing events. "He used a dark potion on us—trapping me as a mermaid." She hesitated. "And making Zac human again."

As Lyla stopped talking, silence fell over the pool. Nixie and Sirena both looked sympathetic, and Nerida looked shocked, and saddened, by the revelation.

Lyla hated that she had been the one to deliver the news, especially after the council woman had shown herself to be so willing to accept Zac. She had seemed excited to have another member of her family join the pod

Finally, Nerida spoke— although her response was not what Lyla had expected.

"How old are you, Zac?" She asked, turning back towards the young man.

He furrowed his brow, confused. "Seventeen," he replied. "But I'll be eighteen next week."

To everyone's surprise, she gave a small smile. "Good," she said, a hint of relief spreading across her face. "We will stay in Mako until then, and I will continue to discuss your case with the council."

Lyla the other others exchanged perplexed looks. Why was Zac's upcoming birthday "good"? And why did Nerida want the council to stay in the area until then?

She didn't dare to hope…

Before any of them could ask for a better explanation, Nerida continued.

"Zac, it has been a pleasure to meet you." She said with another warm smile. "Aquata told us about how you destroyed the trident, and how close you have grown to the girls." Her eyes lingered on Lyla for a second and the young mermaid could have sworn that she gave the smallest of winks. "You are a tribute to our bloodline, and I know Diana would have been proud. I hope I will get the chance to know you better."

"I…thank you." Zac replied, honoured by the compliment.

Nerida nodded. "I'm afraid I must go confer with the others. We will meet with you again next week, once everything is settled and we have reached a decision."

With one final smile, she ducked beneath the water, her tail gracefully flicking the surface of the moon pool as she made her exit.

The four who remained in her wake could do nothing but gape in surprise and trepidation. Nerida had not provided many details, but she had indicated that Zac's upcoming birthday could be significant—and it seemed as if nothing was going to be settled before then. Lyla had a feeling that the council woman was not completely certain what would happen next week, but her words had indicated that something might be coming.

Although no one said it, they were all fairly sure that they knew what that something was.

And despite her better judgement, Lyla smiled.

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A/N—let me know what you thought! What will happen when Zac turns 18…da da dum!

Thanks to all that have reviewed so far!


	15. Uncertainty

It was a beautiful clear night and, as she approached the Blakely's property, Lyla could see that Zac was sitting at the edge of the dock.

Ever since the events in the moon pool, these nightly meetings had become their routine. At exactly 8 o'clock, just as the moon began to rise above Mako, Lyla would make her way to Zac's and they would spend the evening together beneath the starlight. Sometimes, he would join her for a swim near the shore or she would pull herself onto a nearby rock where they could sit together.

It was far from ideal and, although they had not tried not to dwell on their leg-tail separation, things were still not as lighthearted as they had been before Cam's attack. Their division still hung over them like a dark and relentless cloud.

But nevertheless, this was a marked improvement over the preceding days—Lyla had tried to suppress her pain by avoiding Zac altogether, but her efforts had been in vain. That night in the moon pool, when he had once again been at her side, the girl had realized that keeping him out of her life was simply not an option.

Even if they could never fully be together again, she knew that she needed him. They needed each other. Pushing him away was impossible and she was happier now that she had allowed herself to see him once again.

Plus, since Nerida's somewhat mysterious words during their last encounter, Lyla had been unable to quash the hope that had welled inside of her.

The head council woman had seemed to think that Zac's 18th birthday was significant. She hadn't said why, but everyone present had assumed that something might happen to Zac that day—he had latent mermaid magic within him, after all, and perhaps this milestone was when it would manifest.

Perhaps things would go back to the way they had been.

The way they were meant to be.

Lyla didn't want to get her hopes too high, but it was hard not to smile at the thought of his powerful blue tail returning. She loved him no matter what he was, of course, but having him back at her side, swimming in the open sea, would make everything feel okay again.

They could truly be together.

Maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

"Lyla."

Zac called out her name as she approached and his crooked grin made her chest flutter happily.

She had been foolish to think that she could turn her back on this.

On him.

"Did you miss me?" she replied playfully as she arrived at the shore. Looking around, she found a large flat rock that looked comfortable enough for sitting and pulled herself onto it. Being partially out of the water while still having her tail was not the most comfortable thing, but it was worth it to be closer to him. As soon as she had settled herself, Zac carefully climbed off the dock to join her—and, after flashing her another trademark smile, he pulled her in for a gentle kiss.

For a second, all of her worries faded away.

"Of course I missed you." He replied as he pulled back. "But you're worth waiting for."

Lyla began to smile but, as her eyes travelled up Zac's handsome face, she could not hold back a small frown.

Although she hadn't noticed it at first, she could now see that there was a small purple bruise on his left cheek. Her fingers brushed across it gently as her brow furrowed in concern.

Zac flinched.

"Oh, yeah," he muttered, knowing exactly what had distracted her attention. "Don't worry. It's nothing."

"What happened?" The young mermaid pushed. Although he seemed reluctant to discuss his mysterious injury, her tone made it clear that she would not going to let him brush it aside.

After a slight hesitation, Zac sighed.

"I saw Cam this afternoon," he admitted, sheepishly avoiding Lyla's gaze. "I knew that I should have made myself walk away when I caught sight of him—he was alone on the beach, and he didn't see me at first, I could have walked away."

Lyla nodded. "But you didn't…"

He shook his head. "No, I couldn't. I haven't seen him since he…" Zac trailed off for a second and she could tell that he was making an effort not to look down at her ever-present tail. "I haven't seen him since he attacked us," Zac began again. "And I guess a part of me wanted to confront him about it. I needed to know why."

She gave him a sympathetic nod. Although she wasn't pleased that he had come to blows with his malicious ex-friend, she understood why he had done it. After all, he and Cam had been close and (from Zac's perspective) it seemed as if the blonde boy had had a complete change of personality in the past couple of months. His betrayal in the moon pool had hit Zac hard, and the more recent attack had been even more difficult for him to deal with. Clearly power and jealousy had gotten the better of Cam when he tried to size the trident—it had been bad and unexpected but, in a way, it was easy to understand his motivations. He had wanted what Zac had, and he tried to seize it.

But his attack last week had been different. He wasn't out to gain power—he had simply wanted to hurt them. To make them suffer.

And that was even harder for Zac to swallow.

"What happened?" Lyla asked gently, placing her hand on Zac's knee.

He sighed again. "At first I told myself that I just wanted to talk to him. I thought I could control my anger. But the closer I got to him, the more riled up I got." He paused. "And as I approached, he turned around with this cocky smirk on his face. I guess I just snapped a bit—he looked so pleased to see me angry, and I couldn't really take it. So I sorta punched him."

Lyla let out a deep breath. She understood how it had happened, and she knew that Zac wasn't the best at controlling his emotions, but this wasn't what she had been hoping to hear. As far as she was concerned, Cam wasn't worth the effort. She despised him too, but she didn't want Zac to get himself in trouble—that's probably what Cam wanted.

She watched as Zac clenched his right hand and noticed that there was a painful looking scrape on it as well.

Clearly, it had not been an easy fight.

"So we scuffled a bit," Zac continued reluctantly. "Eventually, I managed to pin him down. He just kept on smirking, though—it seemed like he was enjoying the whole thing. He kept trying to goad me on. Said a few things about us…about you."

Lyla nodded. She was not surprised that Cam showed no remorse and was glad to see Zac distraught. It fit with everything she had learned about Cam recently. But she knew it was harder for Zac.

Things hadn't always been like this. They had been best friends. Inseparable.

"I managed to get myself under control, though." Zac said reassuringly. "I knew that he wanted to wind me up and I didn't want to give him any more satisfaction. He wasn't going to tell me anything I didn't already know anyway—he said a lot of the same things he said on Mako that day. He called us freaks, he said he wanted us to suffer, that sort of thing."

He paused, his eyes lingering on the calm ocean for a moment.

"I guess that's the only explanation that there is," he continued, his voice suddenly quieter. "And I guess I just need to accept that this person who I thought was my friend, who I thought cared about me, was never really the person I thought he was."

"I'm so sorry, Zac." Lyla replied, placing her head on his muscular shoulder as they both looked out to sea. She wished that she had something more comforting to say, but the truth was that she agreed with his words. If Cam was capable of such sadistic malice it was difficult to argue that he was a good person deep down. Good people didn't laugh as their friend's lives were torn apart.

"I know this must be hard for you."

Zac nodded and she could feel his shoulders slump slightly.

"But," she began again, "maybe Cam won't have the last laugh. It's your birthday in two days, and none of us know what that might bring."

She noticed that his hand moved towards his left thigh as she spoke.

"No, I suppose we don't know," Zac replied, trying to put on a brave smile. "I'm trying not to think about it too much," he admitted, "but it's hard not to. I wish Nerida had given us more information—I feel like everything is totally up in the air. Like no one has any idea what is going to happen to me."

Lyla hesitated before she replied. "I don't think Nerida has any more information," she said honestly. "As far as anyone knows, there has never been a case like yours—a male born into a banished mermaid line…it's unheard of."

"Yeah," Zac sighed, "great."

"But if Nerida thinks your 18th birthday may be important, than I think there is good reason to have some hope. In the mermaid world, eighteen is when we come of age and receive our moon rings. It is an important milestone, and if something is going to happen to you, it makes sense that it would be then."

Lyla tried to keep up a calm façade as she spoke but, in truth, her heart was beating rapidly at the thought of him returning to his mer form. As they sat on the moonlit rock, she could not help but notice the stark difference between her coppery tail and his human legs.

She didn't want this to be their fate.

It couldn't be.

Seeing him splashed with seawater without his powerful blue tail somehow seemed incredibly wrong.

After a long pause, Zac spoke. "What if something bad happens to me?"

He began reluctantly, avoiding her gaze. She could see his hand tense on his thigh, and she looked down at the area suspiciously.

It was clear to her that he had something on his mind. Something that he wasn't sharing.

He was afraid.

"What do you mean?" Lyla asked, knowing that she needed more to go on. She could understand his apprehension at his approaching birthday, but she had only envisioned two options—either his tail would return, or he would prove too human to change on his own. The latter would be difficult for them, but it wouldn't involve any physical suffering. She wasn't sure why he suddenly looked so scared.

Zac hesitated again and she could tell that he was trying to decide if he should share whatever was burdening him.

"Please, Zac." She began gently, placing her hand on top on his. "Tell me what's wrong."

He let out a deep breath.

"I didn't really want to worry you," he started, finally looking up to meet her gaze. "This morning I woke up because there was a terrible burning pain on my leg. I've never felt anything like it…it was as if someone was pouring molten hot metal on my thigh."

Lyla left her stomach churn. She hated to imagine him going though that, and she had no idea why something like that would have happened. She wondered what this troubling event had to do with his pending birthday.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her voice full of concern. "Were you injured?"

He shook his head. "Not exactly."

She watched as she moved both hand towards his left leg and began rolling up his shorts.

"But after it stopped I noticed this."

As he moved the fabric of his clothing back, she could see what he was referring too. There, on his upper left thigh, was a small patch of blue scales—just like the ones that had once composed his tail.

Her eyes widened and, despite herself, Lyla reached out to touch the odd patch of blue. It wasn't too big—about the size of a slice of bread— but there was no mistaking what it was.

"Zac, what—" She found herself unable to form a coherent sentence and, as she looked up, she could see a combination of worry and embarrassment on his face.

"I have no idea what to make of this." He confessed, rolling his shorts back down. "I suppose in a way, it is a good sign—it proves that I'm not quite human. But I don't think this is how things are supposed to happen. I've never felt pain like that, and the scales won't go away, no matter how dry I am."

Lyla tried to make her own worried expression, but she was certain that she was failing miserably. He was right—this was very unusual, and she had never heard of anyone going though that sort of pain when they transitioned from legs to tail. She'd never heard of anyone with a patch of scales either. It was supposed to be one or the other. A tail or legs.

But as they both knew full well, Zac _wasn't_ one or the other.

He was both.

And no one really knew what that meant.

"Maybe this is it." Zac began again, his eyes still full of worry. "Maybe I have just enough mermaid blood to make me a bit of a freak—but not enough to really return to the sea. Maybe a few more clusters of scales will pop up on my legs before my birthday, and I won't be able to get rid of them. I won't be a merman, but I'll have to hide this secret for the rest of my life."

Although she could see his point, Lyla refused to concede that things were quite that grim. There was still time, and anything could happen in the next couple of days.

"We don't know that." She said softly, hoping that her words could provide a glimmer of reassurance. "And for what it's worth, I don't think that's your fate. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again— the ocean is a part of you. I am sure of that. Nothing, and no one, will be able to stop you from becoming who you were meant to be."

Zac tried to smile. She could tell that his worries were still very present, and she couldn't fault him for that. She was worried too—but a newfound resolve had swelled inside her as well.

He was her Zac.

They would find a way.

"I hope you're right." He whispered before drawing her in for a deep kiss.

_I hope I'm right too. _

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A/N Sorry for the long wait! School started again and things got crazy. I hope to have slightly faster updates from now on. I have everything planned out—I just need to get it down on virtual paper.

Thanks to those who reviewed! I really appreciate it and hope you liked this chapter.


	16. A Gift

She didn't know what time it was but, judging from the position of the moon, she was fairly certain that it would soon be midnight. And technically, that meant that it would be Zac's eighteenth birthday.

Lyla knew that it was probably foolish, but she had been unable to make herself leave the water behind the Blakely's house after she and Zac had parted ways that evening. He had gone inside to attempt to get some sleep before the big day, and she had falsely told him that she would head back to Rita's pool. But she hadn't managed to make herself go—something told her that it was better to stay and keep watch. She knew it would be impossible to sleep that night anyway.

Although she had been happy to see Zac that that night, it had not been their most enjoyable visit—they had both been tense about his pending birthday but had tried to avoid talking about it as much as possible. There was no doubt, however, that it had been on their minds and Zac had reluctantly admitted that two more painful patches on scales had appeared on his skin in the last twenty-four hours. She had tried to be positive and reassuring but, in truth, she had no idea what was going to happen next. No one did.

After Zac had first shown her the scaly patch two days ago, she had asked Rita and the others if they had any idea what was going on. Of course, none of them had ever heard of such a strange occurrence and Lyla had not found the comfort she desired. She wished that she could have asked Nerida as well, but the council had been keeping to themselves since their arrival and she hadn't seen any of them since that first day in the moon pool.

She doubted that they would have had any answers anyway.

Zac was different. Unique. And there was no telling what would happen next.

Maybe the scales were just some sort of strange manifestation of his latent mermaid DNA, and would simply fade away over time, like a regular rash. Or maybe they'd stay there permanently, but never fully develop into a tail. Lyla hoped, of course, that this was a sign of his pending transformation but she was realistic enough to know that it was too early to get her hopes up. And if he did get his tail back, would it replace his legs permanently? As he had told her, the patches of scales that had appeared in the past few days did not go away when he was dry. Maybe he would be stuck as a merman forever, unable to walk on land again. But while that meant they could be together, Lyla knew that Zac would have a hard time adjusting—he still had family and friends on land. She didn't want to see that taken away.

With a sigh, Lyla turned her head towards Zac's beach house. He had turned off the light an hour ago and there were no signs of movement inside. Although it was unlikely, she hoped that he was getting a bit of rest. There was a good chance that he would need it to get through tomorrow.

She wished that she could be with him. It seemed silly that he was only ten metres away, and yet it was impossible for her to be at his side.

Wistfully, she remembered the nights she had spent curled up against him in his warm human bed. It had been so weird and yet so wonderful. And it pained her to know that she would never have that experience again.

She tore her eyes away from his room, trying her best to ignore the lump that was building in her throat. It was silly to get worked up now, she told herself, no one knew what tomorrow might bring.

With stubborn resolve, she forced her mind to focus on the lapping of the waves against the dock. For a moment, the rhythm of the ocean consumed her and she was calm—but the sound of an unexpected voice broke her from her comforting trance.

"You truly love him, don't you?"

Surprised, Lyla abruptly turned around. She hadn't heard anyone approach, and she was rather shocked to discover that she was no longer alone.

"Nerida!" Lyla exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked towards the older mermaid. She blushed, realizing how disrespectfully informal she had just been. "I mean…greetings, council woman."

To her relief, the woman gave a soft chuckle. There was a reassuring warmth in her eyes that instantly made Lyla much calmer.

"No need for all of that," Nerida began gently. "I am sorry if I startled you."

"No, no, it's fine." Lyla replied.

She had no idea why the council woman was there, but it was apparent that she knew this was the Blakely's house. She knew Lyla had been keeping watch over Zac.

"I am sorry to intrude." The elegant mermaid began again. "Since Zac's birthday is approaching, I thought I should monitor the situation—though I should have known that you would be here tonight. The love between you is strong. I could tell from the moment that I arrived." She paused, looking at Lyla thoughtfully. "He is lucky to have you to help him though all of this."

Lyla felt herself blushing again. Nerida was certainly perceptive and, apparently, she and Zac were far more transparent than she had thought.

"I'm lucky to have him too." She replied softly.

Nerida smiled. "I spoke to Rita earlier today," she began again. "And she told me about the scales that have appeared on Zac's legs. Have there been any further developments this evening?"

The young mermaid shook her head. "Not really. There are three patches of scales on his legs now, and he told me that it is very painful when they first appear." Lyla tried to ignore the look of concern on Nerida's face as she continued. "But nothing happens when he gets in the water—no tail, no more scales. And none of his old merman powers have returned."

For a second, she hoped that Nerida would be able to offer some sort of explanation but it quickly became apparent that this was not the case.

"Very odd indeed," the council woman muttered, her eyes lingering on Zac's beach house for a moment. "I wish I could offer you both some comfort, but I am afraid his case is unique. It appears that his mer-side is struggling to manifest itself, and there is no telling how this process will end."

Lyla's stomach churned uncomfortably.

"But," the older woman continued, her face softening once again, "I do think there is one thing I can give you. In fact, I am glad I found you here tonight. I feel as if the time is right and, seeing you here now, I know that my decision is justified."

Before Lyla had a chance to ask what she was talking about, Nerida moved closer. She could see that the woman had something clutched in her right hand and Lyla's mind raced with possibilities.

"You love him, don't you?" Nerida asked softly, her eyes locked with Lyla's. "Truly and deeply."

Without hesitation, Lyla nodded. There was no doubt in her mind that Zac was her one true mate—and looking back, she knew that a part of her had always known that. With him at her side, she finally felt complete and the struggles they had gone through in recent weeks had only proven that she could not go on without him in her life.

In a way, Cam had already lost—he had shown them how much their love meant to each other and the bond between them had grown. Nothing could come between them, and nothing ever would again.

"Yes." She replied. "I've always loved him, and I always will. No matter what comes."

Nerida smiled and, moments later, she held out her hand, revealing a small elegant ring with a single dark stone.

"This belonged to Diana," the older mermaid began, her voice heavy with sad memories. "It contains an oceanic stone, found only in the deepest waters of the pacific."

Although she had never seen one, Lyla had heard stories about oceanic stones before—because they formed at a dangerous depth (even for mer people) very few had ever been salvaged, and most that had were in the possession of mermen. According to legend, some mermen had evoked their ancient power during the last mer war and it was rumoured that these gems could even overcome the magic of a moonstone.

Needless to say, she was surprised to see that Nerida had one in her possession.

"My daughter received this as a token of undying love from the merman she intended to marry." Nerida continued, looking down at the sacred item. "The night before she was banished, the last time I ever spoke to her, she gave it to me. I have cherished it ever since. Whenever I wear it, I can still feel my daughter's love."

Lyla nodded. She was touched by the story Nerida had chosen to share with her but she still had no idea why the woman had chosen to share this now.

A moment later, however, she got her answer.

"I want you to have it."

Lyla's eyes winded in shock and she knew that she must have looked rather foolish as her mouth opened and closed, unable to find the right words to say.

This ring was undoubtedly precious—both magically and sentimentally. Why would the council woman, who she barely knew, want to pass this important item on to a stranger?

It made no sense.

It was too much.

"I…I can't." Lyla managed to stutter, looking up at Nerida. "You should keep it, I—"

To her surprise, the other woman chuckled. "You must," she cut in as she reached for Lyla's hand and placed the ring firmly into her palm. "Please. This is what Diana would have wanted. She believed in true love more than anyone I have ever met—and she sacrificed herself for it. Although she never got the life she wanted, she would have wanted her great-great grandson to experience that happiness." The woman paused, giving Lyla another reassuring smile. "Diana would have liked you, you know. You're just as stubborn and smart and loyal as she was. She would want you to be at his side."

"At his side?"

Lyla's mind was racing and she looked down at the small ring in her hand. It seemed as if Nerida was implying that this stone could reunite her with Zac.

But that would mean…

"Go to the shore," Nerida said, looking towards the small patch of sand on the Blakely's property. "Put on the ring and think about the love you share with Zac. Think about Diana's love." The older mermaid paused and Lyla could see her eyes well with emotion. "Some things are more powerful than potions and moonstones, you know."

Heart racing Lyla looked towards the beach house.

Towards Zac.

"Please, go to him."

Unable to hold back any longer, Lyla took off towards the beach.

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A/N- Hope you enjoyed that—more soon!

Thanks so much for the reviews! I love hearing what people think.


	17. Fairy Tales

Lyla's heart was beating rapidly as she pulled herself onto the shore.

For a moment, she wondered if the last fifteen minutes had been a dream—perhaps she had drifted to sleep in the water behind the Blakely's house and had imagined Nerida's unexpected visit. It seemed too overwhelming to be true. The head council woman had given her a precious family heirloom and had told her that its magic would guide her to Zac.

And since Zac was currently on land in his human bed, that could only mean one thing.

The oceanic stone ring could bring back her legs.

Lyla had done enough studying to know that moon stones were not the only things that could channel mermaid powers (and there were, of course, many spells and potions that required no channelling at all)—but such items were rare, and she had certainly never seen one before. She had only ever heard legends about oceanic stones, and she was fairly certain that Nerida's ring was one of the few in existence. She didn't know much about it, but she knew that it contained great power.

It was an unbelievably rare, and generous, gift.

After several seconds of awkwardly dragging herself onto the small patch of dry sand on the Blakely's property, Lyla checked to make sure that the lapping waves would not brush against her tail.

It was funny, really, how badly she now wanted her legs to reappear. This time last year, she had been disgusted by the human form and had hoped that their foray on to land would only last a few days, at most.

But somewhere along the way, though all the adventures and drama and fun and chaos, she had grown accustomed to her dual life. The ocean would always be her true home, but being on land—and being able to share Zac's world—was something she now cherished.

When Cam had ripped that from her, it had hurt more than she could have imagined. But, as she frantically brushed the last drops of water off of her tail, she was overcome with the conviction that his cruel plan would not prevail.

Perhaps it was cliché, but she now believed that love could, in fact, conquer all.

Lyla drew a deep breath and glanced out towards the water—it appeared that Nerida had ducked beneath the surface but, despite her silent departure, Lyla knew what she needed to do.

"_Put on the ring and think about the love you share with Zac. Think about Diana's love." _

The older mermaid's words were still ringing in her head and, with one final uncertain breath, Lyla placed the dark purple ring on her finger. Almost instantly, she felt a strange warmth rush over her and she instinctively shut her eyes.

She wasn't sure if it was simply her imagination, or if some outside forces were at work, but series of images suddenly began to flash through her mind.

At first, they were hazy and unfamiliar.

_A merman and a mermaid swimming together. Kissing as behind a large rock which hid them from view. _

_The mermaid being torn away from her love, screaming in anguish as he faded into the abyss._

_A woman holding her newborn child, smiling down with undeniable warmth._

Lyla wasn't sure what she was seeing, but she felt a jolt of sadness before new images began to appear. 

_Zac, smiling his crooked boyish smile. Looking just like he had the day she had met him. _

_Holding his hand as he struggled to resist the call of the moon. _

_The two of them running towards the sea, their tails emerging as they entered the deep blue. _

_Zac sitting next to her on the beach, confessing his love for the first time… _

Her heart swelled and she heard herself whisper his name.

"_Zac." _

Her Zac.

She knew he was the only one she would ever love.

She knew that she needed to be at his side.

Without warning, the strange feeling that had washed over her faded and Lyla opened her eyes. For a second she was disoriented, still trapped in the memories she had seen—but as she looked down towards the sand she was jolted back into reality.

Her tail was gone.

And in its place, were a pair of human legs.

Overjoyed, Lyla jumped to her feet, almost stumbling as she took her first excited steps. It had only been a couple of weeks, but having legs again felt rather odd and she steadied herself on the fence before setting her sights on Zac's beach house.

Running as fast as her unsteady legs could take her, Lyla ran towards the door, her mind filled with nothing but the thought of their reunion.

Even if he didn't get his tail back tomorrow, at least they could still be together in some ways—she knew that he would be just as thrilled as she was when he found out. She couldn't have come up with a better Birthday surprise if she had tried.

She reached his door and, upon discovering that it was unlocked, burst into the room. If she had been less carried away by her excitement, she would have knocked or at least been a bit quieter.

But, in the circumstances, she didn't care.

"Zac!" She exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

He sat bolt upright in his bed, clearly startled by her unexpected arrival.

"Lyla?"

She watched him jump out of bed and flick on the bedside light. He had probably been asleep and, for a second, he looked dazed. But as he fully regained consciousness, the realization dawned on his face.

"Oh my god," he let out a deep breath, too stunned to move from his spot next to the bed. "But…how is this possible?"

Lyla grinned. "Magic."

She was too overwhelmed to give a full explanation at that moment. Being there, standing just a few feet away from him, she was filled with a giddiness and joy she had never felt before.

For the first time in a long time, she knew that everything was going to be okay.

_They were going to be okay. _

Unable to tolerate the distance between them any longer, Lyla dashed towards him. And, as their arms wrapped around each other, they shared a long-anticipated kiss. For a blissful moment, they were just two people in love— together.

Thoughts of tails and councils and enemies and curses melted away.

"I can't believe this. I…this is amazing." Zac stuttered, looking down towards her legs as if to reaffirm that his eyes had not deceived him. "I'm not dreaming, am I?"

With a playful giggle, Lyla gave his arm a gentle pinch. "Thankfully not." She replied.

Flashing her a look of fake annoyance, Zac wrapped his arms around her again and drew her in for another deep kiss.

When they finally broke apart, they were both grinning for ear to ear.

After all of the anger and despair that had plagued them since Cam's attack, this reunion felt incredibly surreal and neither made any effort to conceal their emotions. They couldn't be blamed for revelling in their happiness.

"I love you, Lyla." Zac whispered softly as he brushed a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "I'll love you no matter what life throws at us. And now, no matter what happens to me tomorrow, we can be happy."

Lyla smiled back. Zac wasn't usually quite this sentimental, but she did enjoy seeing this side of him. There was no doubt that she loved him too, and her mind now raced with possibilities. Everything seemed bright once again and the wistful images of their future which she had tried to suppress now came flooding back. They could be happy, be together, have a family…such dreams no longer seemed like pure fantasy.

"Are you saying that you believe in happily ever afters?" She asked impishly, her eyebrow raised.

Zac grinned. "Well, I fell in love with a mermaid who magically managed to grow legs. I think I believe in most fairy tale clichés at this point."

"Good point," she replied with a laugh. "Why don't—"

Before Lyla could complete her sentence, however, Zac let out a sudden and unexpected cry of pain.

The joyful smile instantly faded from his face, and she felt his arms unwrap themselves frown around her waist. She watched, helpless, as he doubled over in pain and attempted to steady himself against the nearby desk.

"Zac, what's wrong?" She asked as he let out another anguished shout.

She had never seen him like this, and it was unsettling to see this abrupt onset.

After taking several ragged breaths he attempted to regain his composure. "Sorry," he said raggedly as he took a step towards her. "Don't worry, I just—"

The instant he stopped talking, Lyla knew that the worst was no behind them. Another wave of pain swept over him—and this time, it was much more intense than before.

Before she had a chance to reach out to him, he collapsed onto the floor, his shouts filling the small room. Lyla rushed to his side, her eyes wide with fear. She had never seen anything like this and she had no idea what to do. It was terrible to see him suffer and she hated feeling so helpless.

"Zac, what can I do? What's wrong?"

She placed a hand on his clammy forehead and noticed that he seemed to have a sudden fever. He didn't respond to her words or touch. His eyes had closed and his breathing was even more ragged than before.

"Zac!" She cried, panic washing over her. "Zac, please wake up!"

Although he continued to cry out in pain, she was unable to rouse him out of his trance. It seemed as if he was only partially conscious, and Lyla knew that she needed to help him.

This couldn't be the end.

Not after they had come so far.

Their happiness already felt like a distant memory…

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A/N- A bit of a cliff hanger there Let me know that you think. And thanks to all who reviewed last time!


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